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ADOLF AGUSTUS BERLE, A.M..D.D. 

Editor 






























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to CULTURE 


Adolf Augustus Berle,D.DA.M. 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 



Twentieth Century 
Self Culture Association 




















COPYRIGHT, 1920 
BY 

TWENTIETH CENTURY SELF CULTURE 
ASSOCIATION 


> C 

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MAI 3! 1921 



HAMMOND PRESS 
B.CONKEYCOMPANY 
CHICAGO 


©&A614563 

J 


BERLE’S 

SELF CULTURE 


VOL. I 

AT MOTHER'S KNEE 



THE PARENT’S BEATITUDES. 


BY HENRY SABIN. 

1. “Blessed is lie who helpeth the little ones; he shall have 

peace in his day.” 

2. * ‘ Blessed is he who loveth little children; he shall be held 

in everlasting remembrance.” 

3. “Blessed is he who possesseth faith, hope and patience; 

for him the rough places shall be made smooth, and 
the crooked places straight. *' 

4. “Blessed is he who seeth the good which is in the way¬ 

ward child; he shall find his reward in the life of a 
noble man . 9 9 

5. ‘ ‘ Blessed is he who hath brains and knoweth how to use 

them; he hath the elements of growth within him 
self, and shall impart life to his children.” 

0. “Blessed is he who knoweth good common sense when 
he seeth it; his praise shall be continually in the 
mouths of children and parents. ’ ’ 

7. “Blessed is he who knoweth the secret paths which lead 
to the conscience of the child; for him the gates of 
peace shall swing on golden hinges, and the ending 
of his life shall be like the ceasing of exquisite 
music.” 


[Copyright by Henry Sabin. By permission.] 



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BERLE’S SELF CULTURE 


ADOLPH A. BERLE, D. D. 

EDITOR. 


A PARTIAL LIST OF THE CONTRIBUTORS, 
ASSISTANT EDITORS AND ADVISORS 


ARTHUR T. HADLEY, LL.D., President Yalb University 

NICHOLAS MURRAY BUTLER, LL.D., President Columbia University 

BENJAMIN IDE WHEELER, LL.D., Pres. (1899 1913) Unit. OF California 
DAVID STARR JORDAN, LL.D., President Emeritus Leland Stanford University 

G. STANLEY HALL, LL.D., President Clark University 

ttq r>T>T r rr'TrTr r P r n t t T> President Carnegie Foundation for Ad- 

HENRY S. PRITCHETT, LL.D., vancement of Teaching. 

MICHAEL VINCENT O’SHEA, Professor of Education, University of Wisconsin 
FREDERICK! W. HAMILTON, LL.D , f President Tufts College 

FELIX ADLER, Ph.D Founder Society of Ethical Culture, New York 

KATE DOUGLAS WIGGIN, Author, New York 

SARAH LOUISE ARNOLD, Educator and Author, Massachusetts 


ANNA B. COMSTOCK, 
CAROLYN WELLS, 
KATHARINE BEEBE, 
ANNIE C. RUST, 

DR. F. H. HODDER, 

M. S. SNOW, 


Naturalist, Cornell University 
Author “A Nonsense Anthology," etc. 

Kindergartner and Author 
Kindergartner, Froebel School, Boston 
Professor of American History, University of Kansas 
Dean of Washington University 
M. G. BRUMBAUGH, A.M. Ph.D., LL.D., Superintemaent^ot rcBLio^iNsTKOoTion, 

BRANDER MATTHEWS, D.C.L., LL.D., Ka 

A. A. STANLEY, A.M., Prof. of Music, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich. 
MISS LAURA FISHER, Former Director of the Public Kindergartens, Boston 
MRS. W. D. McCLINTOCK, Wife of the Dean of the University of Chicago 
CARROLL D. WRIGHT, LL.D., Statistician and Publicist 

THEODORE ROOSEVELT, President (1901-1909) of the United States 




Pioneer American Kindergartner 


Educator and Author, Buffalo, N. Y. 

Author “Half-a-Dozen Boys,” etc. 
Librarian, Brooklyn, New York City 

OF 


ELIZABETH P. PEABODY, 

SUSAN F. CHASE, 

ANNA CHAPIN BAY, 

MARY W. PLUMMER, 

SIR CASPER PUBDON CLARK, ^New^^ to c r lt J lKTKoroLITAN Museum 

A TThTPli' xi xr'r' A "W t t Tt Former United States Minister to Denmark and 
■M.AUXU.C'.Ej -h . XiVjiAlN, XjXJ.U.j p ro f essor CATHOLIC UNIVBB8ITY OF AMERICA. 

REV. W. L. SULLIVAN, C.S.P., Saint Thomas College, Washington, D. C. 
WILLIAM TEMPLE HORNADAY, Naturalist, Director New York “Zoo” 

WILLIAM NICHOLAS HAILMANN, Ph.D , t Educator and Author, California 
E. S. WILCOX, Librarian, Peoria, Ill. 

AUGUSTUS THOMAS, Dramatist, New York 

ORISON SWETT MARDEN, Editor “Success,” New York 

E. M. FAIRCHILD, The Moral Education Board 

WILLIAM VINCENT BYARS, Author and Editor, St. Louis 

HALSEY C. IVES, Artist, Former Director St. Louis Museum of Fine Arts 

AMY E. TANNER, Educator, Wilson College 

GEORGE E. DAWSON, Pll.D., Educator, Mount Holtoke College 

WILLIAM BYRON FORBUSH, Sociologist 

CARL HOLLIDAY, Litt.D., Author “A History of Southern Literature,” etc. 
JOHN G. VAN DYKE, Educator, Rutgers College 

VERY REV. EDWARD A. PACE, Ph.D., Catholic University of Washington 
MRS. THEODORE W. BIRNEY, Founder National Congress of Mothers 

WILLIAM T. HARRIS, LL.D., Eduction'’ Formerly NatIonal CommIS ' 


MARY WOOD-ALLEN, M.D., 
MARGARET WARNER MORLEY, 

C. SPRAGUE SMITH, 
FREDERICK KEPPEL, 


Editor “American Motherhood” 

Naturalist, Author “Flowers and Their 
Friends,” etc. 

People’s Institute, New York 
Art Critic and Lecturer, New York 


FEED ERIC ALLEN WHITING, ,onDer 

C. F. RICHARDSON, 

CLARA LOUISE ANDERSON, 

JOHN MASON TYLER, Ph.D., 

RUSSELL STURGIS, 

THE REV. S. A. MARTIN, DD., LL.D., 


Secretary Society of Arts and Crafts. 

Educator, Dartmouth College 

Musician, Composer, St. Louis 
Biologist, Amherst College 
Author and Art Critic, New York 


President Pennsylvania College fob 
Women, Pittsburgh, Pa. 


TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

Volume I. 

General Introduction, by A. A. Berle, D. D.13 

Publisher's Preface.* * ’ * 

Part I—Stories for the Little Ones. . ..23 

First Steps in Wonderland, by Charles Welsh . . ! 25 

The Mouse and the Paddock. 99 

The Willow Plate.104 

The Castle by the Pool.106 

The Giant of the Frog Pond.109 

The Tale of the Hair-Tree. 112 

A Little Girl in a Pioneer Settlement.118 

The Puppies and the Pond.120 

Paddy the Piper.126 

Jupiter and the Frogs.128 

Poor Jack.130 

* ‘ Please Tell Me a Story, ’ ’ by Gertrude Sellon . . . 135 

I. The Man’s Boot.135 

II. By and Bye . . . ..137 

III. I’ll Get Even.139 

IV. I Wish ..140 

V. I Don’t Care.140 

VI. Great Events from Little Causes.142 

VII. That Is My Place.143 

VIII. He Did It First.144 

IX. I Want to See the World.145 

X. I Don’t Know.147 

XI. Why?. 149 

XII. You Dare Not.151 

XIII. I Am as Good as You.152 

XIV. That Is Nothing to Me.155 

XV. Greedy Jick.< . 157 

XVI. It Is Too Hard.159 

XVII. Why Not?.160 

XVIII. Those Old Folk.163 

Order and Disorder, by Mrs. Letitia Barbauld . . . 164 

Eyes and No Eyes, by Dr. Aiken and Mrs. Barbauld . 169 

The Three Giants, by Jane H. Marcet.179 

Traveller’s Wonders, by Dr. Aiken and Mrs. Barbauld 194 
The Discontented Pendulum, by Jane Taylor .... 199 
7 

































8 


TABLE OF CONTENTS 


On the Shoulders of the Slaves.201 

The Land Where the Fairies Never Came .... 205 

Muckle-Mouth Meg.211 

Princess Fairstar.215 

Part II.— Kindergarten Songs and Music .219 

I. Up the Ladder.221 

II. Speak Gently.221 

III. Always Merry .222 

IV. Work Away.222 

V. Independence Day ..223 

VI. Lullaby.223 

VII. The Violet.224 

VIII. All Through the Night, by Celia Standish . . 224 

IX. Three Blue Birdies.225 

X. Two Little Dogs.227 

XI. Mary Had a Little Bird, by Arthur Jarratt. . . 227 

XII. Buttercups, by Caro Senour.228 

XIII. Clover, by Caro Senour.230 

XIV. Poppies, by Caro Senour.232 

XV. Dandelions, by Caro Senour.234 

XVI. Lily of the Valley, by Caro Senour.236 

XVII. Pansies, by Caro Senour.236 

XVIII. The North Wind Doth Blow, by Arthur Jarratt 240 

XIX. Little Toddlekins.240 

XX. Little Jack Horner, by Arthur Jarratt .... 241 

XXI. Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, by Arthur Jarratt 242 

XXII. Dickory, Dickory, Dock, by Arthur Jarratt . 245 

XXIII. A Walk, by Arthur Jarratt.246 

XXIV. Pretty Pigeon, by Arthur Jarratt.249 

XXV. Ride a Cock Horse, by Arthur Jarratt . . . 249 

XXVI. Busy Bee, by Arthur Jarratt.250 

XXVII. Tom, the Piper’s Son.251 

XXVIII. The Miller’s Little Children, by C. Carr 

Moseley. 252 

Instrumental Music. 

I. Trotting, Running, High-Stepping Hlorses, by Clara 

L. Anderson . 254 

II. March in B Flat Major, by Clara L. Anderson . . 257 

III. Rain-drops, by Clara L. Anderson.262 

IV. Morning Song, by R. Schumann.264 

V. Morning Mood, adapted from E. Greig, by Marie 

R. Hofer.264 

VI. Dance of the Frost Elves, by E. Greig .... 267 

VII. A Field Mouse, by John Mokrejs.270 































TABLE OF CONTENTS 


9 


VIII. The Frogs, arranged by A. C. Graham .... 271 

IX. Spring’s Awakening, by Eugene Gaebos. 

X. The Raindrops, adapted from Mendelssohn, by 

Marie R. Hofer.273 

XI. Carpenter Theme, adapted from Haydn, by Marie 

R. Hofer . . . ....276 

XII. Harmonious Blacksmith, adapted from Handel, 

by Marie R. Hofer.277 

XIII. On the Railroad Train, by W. C. E. Seebock . 279 

XIV. Cradle Song, adapted from Schumann, by Marie 

R. Hofer.280 

Part III.— Bible Stories from the Old and New Testament. 

I. How the Bible Came to England.285 

II. The Creation of the World.286 

III. The Garden of Eden.288 

IV. Cain and Abel.291 

V. Abraham and Isaac.292 

VI. Noah and His Ark.295 

VII. Joseph and His Brethren.299 

VIII. The Baby Moses.319 

IX. The Fall of Jericho.320 

X. Gideon and the Midianites.322 

XI. Ruth and Boaz.327 

XII. The Boy Samuel.332 

XIII. David and Goliath.337 

XIV. Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.341 

XV. Elijah and the Widow’s Son.342 

XVI. Naaman the Leper.343 

XVII. Queen Esther.346 

XVIII. The Feast of Belshazzar.357 

XIX. Daniel in the Lion’s Den.360 

Stories from the Life of Jesus. 

I. The Birth of Jesus.363 

II. The Wise Men from the East.364 

III. The Flight Into Egypt.367 

IV. The Slaughter of the Innocents.368 

V. Jesus in the Temple. 369 

VI. Feeding the Five Thousand.370 

VII. The Raising of Jairus’ Daughter.370 

VIII. Jesus Stills the Tempest.373 

IX. Jesus Heals the Paralytic.374 

X. Jesus and the Little Children.377 

The Teachings and Parables of Jesus. 

I. The Sermon on the Mount.378 


































10 


TABLE OF CONTENTS 


II. The Lord’s Prayer.379 

III. The Debtor.380 

IV. The Good Samaritan.381 

V. The Good Shepherd.382 

VI. The Husbandmen of the Vineyard.383 

VII. The Laborers in the Vineyard.384 

VIII. Lazarus the Beggar.385 

IX. The Marriage of the King’s Son.386 

X. The Lost Sheep.387 

XI. The Lost Piece of Silver.387 

XII. The Prodigal Son.387 

XIII. The Ten Virgins.389 

XIV. The Ten Talents.390 

XV. The Sower.391 

Stories from the Acts of the Apostles .395 

I. The Gift of Tongues.397 

II. The Miracles Wrought by the Apostles .... 398 

III. Philip and the Eunuch.399 

IV. The Conversion of Saul.400 

V. Peter and the Centurion.402 

VI. Peter Escapes from Prison.404 

VII. Paul in the Shipwreck.406 

Memory Aids and Thought Stimulus .409 
























LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Volume I. 



Adolf Agustus Berle. Frontispiece 

Flowers of the Kindergarten. (Color Plate) page 

After the painting 1 by Lizzie Lawson.4 

Thanks to God.21 

The First Steps.27 

After the painting in the St. Louis Exhibition. 

Childhood Joys.57 

From the painting by Von Lasch. 

Little-Red Riding Hood.71 

From the painting by F. Hiddeman. 

Cinderella.77 

From the painting by F. Hiddeman. 

Oriental Bazaar.101 

From a photograph. 

The Little Librarian.121 

After the painting by Harriet M. Bennett. 

More Mischief Still.131 

After the painting by Meyer Von Bremen. 

The Little Showman. . 6 . . 142 

From the painting by F. Sonderland. 

A Picnic Party.•.153 

From a painting by Ludwig Knaus. 

Roman Street Boys.177 

From the painting by T. J. Maest. 

Ring a Ring a Rosy.•.226 

Dickory, Dickory, Dock.243 

From the painting by F. Sonderland. 

The Boy Samuel . ..333 

After the painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds. 

Bethlehem.• 365 

From a photograph. 

Raising Jairus’ Daughter . . . •. 371 

After the painting by Gustav Richler. 

Jesus Blessing Little Children ......... 375 

After the painting by C. G. Pfannschmidt. 


II 
























V 


INTRODUCTION. 


S ELF CULTURE is a compendium of knowledge, and an 
arrangement of literature, science and the arts by which 
any household which makes a careful and faithful study of 
the same, may obtain the elements of a liberal cultivation. A 
university is now known to be merely a collection of books. And 
if these books be wisely chosen, and the materials of them be 
studiously examined, one has all the opportunities of a liberal 
education. The aim of this collection is to secure both ends, 
namely liberal cultivation and a liberal education. 

Such a collection of material as is here offered was impossible 
to secure even half a century ago. Here we have the rich re¬ 
mains of many lands, of many civilizations, of many types of 
knowledge and culture, and from most of^the great minds who 
have sought to contribute something to the enrichment of the 
human mind. The collection offers something for almost every 
form of interest and inquiry, and furnishes the mental subsistence 
for all from the youngest to the eldest member of the household. 

One of the most important of the many values of such a col¬ 
lection as this, is that it tends to preserve the mental relationships 
of the entire household. The age tendencies are to separate 
homes by making the interests of the various members so diverse 
and so isolated from those of the other members, that there is 
frequently little mental communion between them. This we 
have sought to avoid because in that home unity of mental life, 
lies the best fruitage of each. Adults should not be wholly apart 
from children in their intellectual materials of thought and feel¬ 
ing. Children should gain from their elders their original im¬ 
pressions as to what is good and beautiful in literature and 
knowledge. This has been a guiding thought in the arrangement 
of this work. 

Such a course as is here presented also has for its special merit 
that it affords the materials for intelligent and constant mental 
interchange between the members of the home. This comparison 
of mental interests is itself a kind of education of a very high 
order, and it is of special importance that what is here met for 
the first time, and studied, should become the basis for a kind 
of coinage of conversation, by which ideas are not only gained 
themselves, but suggest other ideas, varied by the age and ex¬ 
perience of the group. It is not enough merely to gain what is 

13 


14 


INTRODUCTION 


given here, but also to enrich and enlarge it by adding to it the 
reactions of thought and experience which the various members 
of the household are able to bring to it. 

Within the memory of men still young there have been many 
advances both in science and methods of education and in the 
various branches of knowledge which this work seeks to present. 
And the task of the editor has been so to arrange this work as 
to stimulate these aims which experience has shown to be valu¬ 
able, and to fertilize both thought and speech for the attainment 
of a richer and more varied mental life. 

The last two decades have seen the most remarkable changes 
in the life and activity of the world which have ever been experi¬ 
enced by mankind. The arts have changed. The sciences have 
changed. The map of the world has been altered almost beyond 
recognition of men not yet old. The development of the rela¬ 
tions of nations and men in commerce, in diplomacy, in social 
and industrial relations, constitutes a chapter of transition such 
as bewilders the mind when it is brought to view. It was to 
meet these new conditions, and yet preserve the continuity with 
the past, which guided the editor in the arrangement of this work. 

Such a work of home development and study as is contem¬ 
plated by SELF CULTURE calls for the careful recognition of 
two facts. All old knowledge is not useless knowledge. The 
study of almost any science requires as its first condition the 
study of the previous development of the science. Science now is 
always preceded by the study of the history of science. This is, 
of course, old knowledge and such material in this work as is 
not new is left here because it is necessary to keep in touch with 
it as the natural preliminary to what is to follow. For example, 
the study of our navigation as it exists at this moment, derives a 
part of its significance from the contemplation of the various 
kinds of attempts, and a general view of the whole subject. The 
study of various other sciences involves the same kind of attitude. 
Hence material has been left in these volumes which is prelim¬ 
inary to the further study of developments as these occur, this 
material being of the historical kind which is absolutely neces¬ 
sary to the understanding of what is new. 

All new knowledge is not true knowledge. Of course what is 
meant by this statement is that many new theories are exploited, 
and many new experiments are made public and noised about 
which are found later to be based upon error and which must 
speedily be abandoned. The aim here has been not to include 
all the so-called “latest” material because much of the “latest” 
material will be found to be worthless before a twelvemonth has 


INTRODUCTION 


15 


passed. There is something, of course, in being up-to-date. But 
this does not mean mastering a vast number of things which will 
be found to be useless and worthless, or obsolete, within a very 
short time. 

For these reasons the aim here has been to embody the solid 
substantial material which every well informed person will 
want to know and, which knowing, he may be assured is not a 
guess at the future or an outgrown thing of the past. The 
editor has sought to tread the careful middle ground, espe¬ 
cially as this is necessary in the education of children for their 
proper place and work in this world. We must not ignore the 
£ast. We must not gamble with the future. We must keep in 
the path of the normal development and as soon as something 
is found to be settled it can be embodied in the scheme of knowl¬ 
edge with a reasonable degree of certainty that it is neither obso¬ 
lete nor conjectural. 

The editor also desires to add hereto a suggestive outline of 
how this work may be used to advantage. The best book on earth 
is a worthless book if it lies unopened on the shelf. This is the 
reason why libraries now challenge people to come to the libraries 
to read. They have found out that merely to accumulate books 
that are never read is to gather rubbish. SELF CULTURE has 
been arranged to be read. Take down a volume every day and 
read something aloud to the whole household and make it a sub¬ 
ject of discussion afterward. That will be the best possible use 
made of this work. Children should be encouraged to browse in 
it—not only in those portions which are specially designed for 
them, but also in those parts which are slightly beyond them. 
In this way curiosity is developed and the desire for reading and 
investigation fostered. This is the best known method of self 
cultivation. 

An excellent plan in this direction and the one that the editor 
has followed in his own family for many years, is to bring to 
the evening meal a volume and read a few pages from something 
interesting, the choice being made on inclination or suggested by 
something heard or read during the day, so that all the mem¬ 
bers of the household get the information and are made to think 
together at the same time about the same thing. It will be found 
that thus the children often fertilize the minds of their parents 
while the parents give the children the benefit of their maturity. 
Even the smallest child that can read should take part in this 
plan. Nothing more delightful can be imagined than to have a 
small child take one of these volumes which seems like a “big 
book” to it, and read to the family one of the delightful child 


16 


INTRODUCTION 


stories which are here gathered or some of the Bible passages 
which are here presented in narrative and unconventional form. 

“Reading maketh a full man,” says Lord Bacon, and this 
practice carried on for a few months, especially with children who 
are at school, will be found to make the school work very much 
more effective, while the opportunity for bringing from the home 
into the schoolroom the matters read and discussed in this 
way, will make much for the advancement of the children. If 
the families where these volumes come, will honestly and unin¬ 
terruptedly try out this plan, they will find that they have done 
many more things than to add to the general knowledge of the 
household. They will find that they have added something fine 
and intellectually noble to the family life and enriched the mind 
and heart of every member of the household. The editor speaks 
out of full knowledge. Many thousands of people who have read 
his books and have corresponded with him on the subject of child¬ 
training have testified to the remarkable change in household 
life which this habit has produced. And when it is done with a 
collection of material like that in SELF CULTURE, it means in 
effect a liberal education for every member of the family. 

Another suggestion which will be found specially useful is that 
all the volumes shall be consulted and dipped into all the time. 
There is value, of course, in systematic reading, and this should 
be done. But let the household take up the various volumes not 
merely in order, but at random. Glance over the table of con¬ 
tents in each volume and see what is there and then select one 
day from one, another day from a different one, and so cross- 
fertilize your knowledge and habits of thinking. These volumes 
were not constructed to be read straight through, never looking 
into the last volume till you have finished all the others. Take 
up any volume when you have a few minutes and do not have 
them put away so carefully that you cannot readily get at them. 
Have them where they can easily be picked up in a moment of 
waiting for dinner or supper. The editor thinks that he must 
have read thousands of books in this way in odd moments while 
he was waiting for the next thing. All these fragments of knowl¬ 
edge picked up in this way form a decided part of the whole at 
last. One of the special values of SELF CULTURE is that it 
places this variety in small compass so that there never need be 
monotony in the process of gathering all the time. 

Pick up the Guide Volume frequently and see just what is 
suggested there, and then direct things along that line. Your 
only embarrassment will be the riches from which you have to 
choose, for many distinguished men and women have produced 


INTRODUCTION 


17 


the materials gathered here. You may thus enjoy exceptional 
company any time you wish it, and have the intellectual inter¬ 
course which makes for culture and education. It is now one 
of the commonplaces of education that all the teacher can bring 
to the child is the opportunity to learn. Education and self- 
discipline come by the practice of filling the mind with worth¬ 
while materials and then thinking about them. When a home 
is organized around this idea you have an exceptional home, and 
one that tends to produce exceptional men and women. 

One further closing word the editor ventures to offer in con¬ 
nection with this work. The recent history of the world has 
shown in bolder relief than ever before, that human beings with¬ 
out mental training and outlook are lost in the modem world. 
In the coming years even more than in the recent years, it will 
be found that the prizes of life as the happiness of life itself, 
will go to those who have the mental development capable of 
receiving new ideas because their minds are well stocked with the 
ideas upon which the world’s intellectual existence is founded. 
We cannot build a house without first building foundations. 
The new knowledge of the world and its new intellectual require¬ 
ments only stun those who have not the necessary background 
upon which to superimpose it. SELF CULTURE seeks to make 
that foundation in the home life and habit, upon which the wider 
knowledge and activity of the coming time can safely be erected, 
with the certainty of a well-rounded mentality and an outlook 
into the future which promises both efficiency in work, and peace 
and contentment in spirit. To attain these two things really 
constitutes the end of all mental training. If the present work 
helps its readers to perform their tasks in life effectively and 
worthily and to this adds the pleasures of the intellect and the 
serenity of spirit which a general all-round education gives to 
those who attain it, the editor’s task shall not have been in vain. 

A. A. BERLE. 


Vcl. 1—2 


























PUBLISHER’S PREFACE. 


HE educational and cultural aims of SELF CULTURE 



have already been set forth in the Editor’s introduction. 


A It remains for the publishers to set forth some facts con¬ 
cerning the editor himself as a suggestion for the readers of this 
work and as a guarantee that the work has passed under careful 
and competent review for the uses for which it has been designed. 

Dr. Adolf Augustus Berle was born at St. Louis, Mo., on 
January 24, 1866, and received his childhood training in the 
public and private schools of that city, especially enjoying the 
friendship and personal guidance of Dr. William T. Harris, then 
Superintendent of Schools of St. Louis, and later United States 
Commissioner of Education. In his childhood Dr. Berle had 
the friendship of many men who have since distinguished them¬ 
selves in art, science, and education. His education took on a 
varied character because of this training. He spent a year at 
Drury College and afterwards spent three years at Oberlin Col¬ 
lege, and finally went to Harvard University where he took the 
degrees of A.B. and A.M. in the same year, 1891. Afterward, he 
spent portions of three years studying in Berlin, Paris and Lon¬ 
don, specializing in Semitic languages and social science, and 
history. Later he became pastor of the Brighton and Shawmut 
Congregational churches in Boston, and afterward became pro¬ 
fessor of Applied Christianity at Tufts College, Medford, Mass. 

During this period Dr. Berle was giving special attention to 
the training of his own children and the children in his parishes 
with very remarkable results, which have determined his later 
career and made him one of the foremost leaders in child edu¬ 
cation and home training in the United States. He developed 
the system of what is known as Intensive Training, first in his 
own home, and then throughout the country, which has in many 
places revolutionized child education. His volume “The School 
in the Home” has run into many thousands and has circulated 
almost throughout the known world, being used as a text or 
reference book in France, England, Russia, Finland, China, Japan 
and India, as well as in many normal schools in the United 
States. His volume “Teaching in the Home” is employed by 
many teaching parents throughout the country. 

Since 1915 Dr. Berle has given his entire time to this work as 
educational consultant and educational advisor in New York City, 


19 


20 


PUBLISHER’S PREFACE 


directing the supervision and instruction in many schools both 
public and private. The basis of all this work was his remark¬ 
able achievement in his own family, which may be here briefly 
reviewed. He has four children, two boys and two girls. The 
eldest of these, a daughter, Lina Wright Berle, and a son who is 
seventeen months younger, were admitted to Radcliffe and Har¬ 
vard colleges when respectively fifteen and thirteen and a half 
years of age. Both graduated with distinction, and the elder 
took a Master of Arts degree following her Bachelor of Arts 
degree, and has since been engaged in literary work, publishing 
two volumes of literary criticism, “George Eliot and Thomas 
Hardy, a Contrast, ’ 9 and 4 ‘ Comedy from Shakespeare to Shaw. ’ ’ 
She has also done much editorial work. The eldest son, A. A. 
Berle, Jr., at twenty-one, had three degrees from Harvard Uni¬ 
versity, A.B., A.M. and LL.B., was a lieutenant in the World 
War and afterward assigned to a place as a member of the Rus¬ 
sian Section of the American Peace Commission at Paris. He is 
now practicing law in New York City. 

The second daughter, Miriam Blossom Berle, Dr. Berle’s third 
child, entered Radcliffe at fifteen, graduated with distinction, 
has since taught, and later studied at the Sorbonne in Paris, 
specializing in Latin and French languages and literature, re¬ 
ceiving a diploma from that university. The fourth child, R. P. 
Berle, also graduated from Harvard with distinction at eighteen, 
and took his Master of Arts degree, and is now in the Harvard 
Law School. These results attained with children of both sexes 
under precisely the same conditions, have attracted world-wide 
attention, and have therefore created the distinctive place in 
American educational work which Dr. Berle holds. Since his 
own children have grown up and passed through college, Dr. 
Berle has been advising in the cases of hundreds of other chil¬ 
dren, creating the results which will serve finally for the gen¬ 
eral introduction of intensive methods of training everywhere. 

It was with these facts before them that the publishers sought 
Dr. Berle to edit SELF CULTURE, that through these volumes 
many other homes might feel the stimulus of using the methods 
of home education which have made his own work so distinctive. 
We believe that through this work and the following out of the 
suggestions which he has outlined, and with reasonable fidelity 
and effort, the readers of these volumes will find themselves not 
only personally benefited, but able to give their children and 
their homes the kind of mental life and training which the times 
require. 


















THANKS TO GOD 


For all that God in mercy sends 

For health and children, home and friends, 

For comfort in the time of need, 

For every kindly word and deed, 

For everything, give thanks! 








STORIES FOR THE 
LITTLE ONES 



FIRST STEPS IN WONDERLAND, 

[A story to read with the children.] 

By C'hables Welsh. 


T HIS is the story of the most wonderful shoes in the 
world. 

It all came about in this way. 

The father of Lottie and Carlo was a great traveller. 
There was hardly a corner of the world into which he 
had not been. 

He had been far up North among the Esquimaux and 
had lived in their snow houses or igloos, as they are 
called. He had been away down South in the beautiful 
islands of the Pacific Ocean. He had lived among wild 
and savage tribes wherever they were to be found. But 
most of all he loved the wonderland of the East—the 
earliest home of Fairy Tale and Romance, and many 
were the stories these happy children heard of their 
father’s wanderings and of the marvelous things he 
saw—and many were the wonder-tales which he told 
them as they sat in the garden under the trees in the 
summer time or on his knee by the firelight during the 
long winter evenings. 

But it was long before they were old enough for Trav¬ 
ellers’ Tales that the Wonder Shoes came upon the scene. 

Their father had been a great traveller for years be¬ 
fore they were bora. He used to bring with him from 
every journey all sorts of curious and wonderful things 
which he came across in his travels. Odd-looking bows 
and arrows—queer guns and wonderful swords—gor¬ 
geous dresses of silk and satin—carpets so soft and 
thick that your feet would seem to sink into them almost 
up to the ankles. Curious carved cabinets for holding 
delicate china—cups and saucers as thin and as light 
as an egg shell—and a thousand other things too many 
to tell 


25 


26 


AT MOTHER'S KNEE 


But the one thing he had such as no one else had ever 
brought together was a great collection of the boots, 
shoes, slippers, sandals, moccasins, sabots , and other 
kind of foot-wear which can be called by none of these 
names which he had gathered up in nearly all the coun¬ 
tries of the world. 

There were shoes of all sorts and sizes, and made of 
all sorts of material. Babies' shoes, boys' and girls' 
shoes, shoes for young misses, and for young and grown 
up people of all ages. There were shoes which had long 
pointed toes hung from the knee by a silver chain—and 
there were shoes so broad that they could take in two 
ordinary feet—there were sandals and shoes that 
scarcely covered the ankles—and boots that came up 
over the knees. In fact there were in this collection 
specimens of nearly all the shoes that ever men and 
women had worn since they left off going with bare feet. 
Indeed there were so many, and so many different kinds 
that I could not describe them all if I had a book twice 
as big as this to tell about them in. 

But there were two pairs of shoes that came from the 
Far East—from a country where, at the time of which 
I am writing, few Europeans or Americans had ever 
been, and they were bought in a bazaar, which is a sort 
of fair, but entirely unlike any fair or store of which 
you, my children, can have any idea. 

Imagine a long narrow street so narrow that a man 
standing in the middle of it could touch the stores on 
either side. The sun's rays which are so strong in the 
East are partly kept out by matting hung overhead, 
which stretches across the street. But it is torn in 
places and the fierce sunlight strikes in here and there, 
lighting up the gaudy colors of the merchandise and the 
brilliant display of jewelry so that it all looks like a bit 
out of Fairyland. 

The stores are something like big boxes with the lids 
off set on their sides. The merchant sits within, on the 
floor, his legs crossed like a tailor on his bench, and 
he is generally smoking a curious pipe with a long stem 
which he calls a chibouque. Gay goods of all kinds are 















:§ iP 













Kr?^\ 


THE FIRST STEPS 

AFTER THE PAINTING IN THE ST. LOUIS EXHIBITION, 1904 

Prince and Pauper alike make their first steps into the 
wonderland of life with faltering feet, and by this means 
they learn their first lesson of self-reliance and of profiting 
by example. 














FIRST STEPS 


29 


displayed before him. In one of these box-like shops 
are scarfs and shawls, stuffs for dresses, morning gowns 
and vests, handkerchiefs, sashes, purses and tobacco- 
bags in rich and brilliant colors lying about in careless 
heaps. 

In another are cloaks of camel hair and cloth of gold 
—so stiff that they will almost stand upright of them¬ 
selves. In another, which is a drug or apothecary’s 
store, are to be found wonderful scents and strangely 
perfumed drinks and the marvelous attar of roses, the 
secret of making which is known only in the East. In 
another which is enclosed behind bars, sits a Jew with 
his store of precious stones spread out before him. 
Pearls, opals, turquoises, diamonds, curious rings, won¬ 
derful filigree work in silver and gold are here, and the 
merchant sits calmly smoking and carefully watching 
while his customers handle and examine the goods. 

And the people in this narrow, busy street are as won¬ 
derful as the display of merchandise. The women are 
veiled and wear long drapery—only their eyes can be 
seen. The men are dressed in gay colors and costumes 
which are as strange as they are striking and beautiful. 

It was in one of these bazaars in a box of a store which 
contained nothing but foot-wear that these wonderful 
shoes of which I have to tell were bought. 

FIRST STEPS. 

I don’t think I have told you that Lottie and Carlo 
were twins. Their mother was a sensible mother, and 
she did not confine her babies’ feet in shoes until they 
were ready to use them and wanted to begin to walk out 
of doors. She put their little feet into something warm 
and soft and fluffy—when it was needed to keep them 
warm—but whenever she could she let them go with bare 
feet, so that their toes should have room to curl and un¬ 
curl themselves and grow as nature intended them to do. 

Their mother was also a very careful mother in other 
ways. She thought there was no need to buy shoes for 
her babies when there was so large a collection in the 


30 


AT MOTHER^ KNEE 


bouse. So she went and looked through all of them, 
until she found two pairs exactly alike and of the right 
size for her two babies. 

“This is lucky,” thought she, but she did not know 
how lucky, as you will learn, and she at once decided 
that these were the shoes that the babies should wear. 

They were white and soft and smooth and strong— 
they were so strong that they could not be torn or broken 
—they were so smooth and soft that they could not hurt 
the babies’ tender feet, and so white that—but I must 
not tell you about that just yet. 

And the shoes were something more than all this. You 
will remember that they had come from the East, which 
is the land of magic and mystery and wonder, and though 
their mother did not know it, she had picked out the 
original and only Wonder Shoes in the world. Shoes 
that did such—but you will see what kind of shoes they 
were and what they did as you read on. 

And now the twins were ready to walk—or rather they 
wanted to try to walk, and so one day the shoes were put 
on—it was wonderful to see how easily they fitted, and 
it seemed as if the shoes helped them to stand upright 
and guided their tottering feet from chair to sofa—and 
from sofa to chair again. Then there was another won¬ 
derful thing; babies’ feet do not grow very fast, but they 
do grow, and these wonderful shoes grew with the babies’ 
feet—so that they were never too small for them. 

For some time they toddled about in the house with 
these easy and comfortable shoes on their feet. But 
the summer time was coming on, and after awhile the 
twins found their way into the garden. Now the garden 
was one of those old-fashioned gardens with rambling 
paths, and high hedges on either side, with beautiful 
walks and high trees, where the birds built their nests 
and the winds made sweet music as they blew the leaves 
and the branches to and fro. 

Hand in hand they wandered about this garden day 
after day until the summer sun grew warmer, and some¬ 
times they became so hot and tired that they were glad 
to lie down in the shade and rest. Sometimes, too, they 


FIKST STEPS 31 

fell asleep, and their nnrse and mother had to hunt a long 
time before they found them. 

One part of this old garden the children always liked 
the best; it was farthest from the house, it was the shadi¬ 
est spot, and it was called the Queen’s Walk. The reason 
why it was called the Queen’s Walk was this. Some three 
hundred years before a famous Queen had visited the 
house and grounds, and in honor of her visit a grove of 
young trees was planted. Of course, in three hundred 
years the trees had grown to a noble size. All sorts of 
lovely flowers grew on either side of the walk, and it was 
as beautiful a place as any queen or princess might love 
to wander in. 

With uncertain steps, because of the sunlight which 
came through the leaves of the trees, making spots of 
bright gold on the ground which the little ones vainly 
tried to pick up, they were toddling along one day, when 
all at once they saw at the end of the avenue a lady such 
as they had never seen before. She was an old lady, 
with a pleasant, kind and motherly face, and she was 
dressed as they had never seen any one dressed in all 
their little lives before. 

Her hat was not like anything that any one wore in 
their day; she wore a curious dress with an open-worked 
bodice, and a short quilted skirt; she carried a cane in 
her hand, she had a broom under her arm and wore shoes 
with silver buckles. But I cannot describe her with my 
pen. I am sure you have seen a picture of her. 

At first the little ones were somewhat frightened, but 
as she came nearer and smiled and looked kindly at them, 
they did not turn and try to run away, but kept toddling 
along until they seemed to be quite close to the old lady. 

Some of you may have guessed the name of this won¬ 
derful old lady by this time, but I am sure none of you 
know just how old she is. “The world was but a baby 
when she came.” She is older than the ancient Druids, 
older than the Egyptian Pyramids, older than the ruins 
of Baalbec, and if you don’t know how old these are, ask 
your teacher or your parents, or your big brother in the 
High School. 


32 at mother’s knee 


Then she has had to do with even more babies than 
that other 


“ Old woman who lived in a shoe, 

Who had so many children she didn’t know what to do. 

She gave them some broth without any bread, 

She whipped them all soundly and sent them to bed.” 

She was, in fact, the very same old woman about whom 
somebody wrote, but nobody knows who, hundreds of 
years ago, but nobody knows when, telling how she was 

Tossed in a basket 
Seventeen times as high as the moon, 

But where she was going no mortal could tell, 

For under her arm she carried a broom. 

“ Old woman, old woman, old woman,” said I, 

“ Whither, ah whither, ah whither so high ? ” 

“ To sweep the cobwebs down from the sky, 

And I’ll be with you by and by.” 

She was the same old lady who 


And she also 


When she wanted to wander 
Would ride through the air 
On a very fine gander. 

Had a house, 
’Twas built in a wood, 
Where an owl at the door 
For sentinel stood. 


Now who can tell me the name of this queer old lady? 
If you don’t know it now you will surely find it out in 
the next chapter. 


IN THE LAND OF MOTHER GOOSE. 

The twins toddled so far to meet her that they had gone 
beyond the Queen’s Walk, but still they seemed to get no 
nearer to the old lady. 

All at once, however, she stopped and said: 

‘ 4 Welcome, children, to the land of Mother Goose— 
you are now over the border and must meet the Baker 
man at once.” 


IN THE LAND OF MOTHER GOOSE 


33 


And she turned to a very correctly dressed baker, with 
a white cap and jacket, and face and hands all covered 
with flour. Then Carlo, never knowing how it was he 
came to do it, began to say 

u Pat a cake, pat a cake Baker man 
So I do master as fast as I can. 

Nick it and prick it and mark it with C 
And put it in the oven for Lottie and me.” 

The Baker man quickly disappeared as if to do as he 
was told, when all at once five little pigs came in sight. 
Lottie was saying, and she never knew why, 

“ This little pig went to market 
This little pig stayed at home 
This little pig had roast beef 
This little pig had none 
This little pig went squeak, squeak, 

All the way home.” 

The pigs could not have been very far on their way 
home before Carlo spied 

Two little blackbirds 
Sitting on a hill 

and they seemed to know without being told that 


The one was named Jack 
The other named Jill 


so they cried out both together 

“Fly away Jack! 

Fly away Jill! 

Come again Jack! 

Come again Jill!” 

For a long time they amused themselves, watching the 
blackbirds fly away and come again until they were tired 
of the fun. Just when they were about to go on their 
walks again— 

“Look, who is this coming?” said Mother Goose. 

How the children knew I cannot tell you, but cer- 


34 at mother’s knee 

tain it is that they both clapped their hands in glee and 
cried out together— 

“ Mary, Mary, quite contrary 
How does your garden grow ? ” 

and Mary came quickly up to them and replied 

“ With silver bells and cockle shells 
And pretty maids all of a row.” 

So saying Mary led them to her wonderful garden* 
which is of course only to be found in Mother Goose 
land, and they spent some time looking at the curious 
things that grew there. Then the old lady in some won. 
derful way took them— 

u To market to market to buy a plum bun ”— 

which they ate on their way back toward the house. On 
their way they came to a pretty little summer house, and 
as they were tired with walking so much the old lady and 
the twins went into the summer house to sit down and 
rest. There while they sat and finished their cake— 

“ Cushey cow bonny, came and let down her milk.” 

and the old lady at once “gave her a purse of silk.’^ 
Presently Lottie asked her if she would not tell them a 
story—and sing to them as their good mother did. This 
was an easy thing for Mother Goose to do, for she knows 
more stories and songs and lullabies than all the mothers 
in the world put together. So she showed them “The 
way the ladies ride” and told them first, 

What are little boys made of? 

Snaps and snails and puppy dogs , tails. 

and afterwards, 

What are little girls made of? 

Sugar and spice and all that’s nice. 

And that’s what little girls are made of.” 


35 


MOTHER GOOSE’S ZOO-LO-GI-CAL GARDEN 

After that came the story of 

Diddle, diddle dumpling 
My son John. 

Who went to bed 

With his stockings on 
One shoe off 

The other shoe on 
Diddle, diddle dumpling 
My son John 

Then they began to feel more and more tired, and they 
heard a soft voice singing: 

u Hush-a-by baby on the tree top 
When the wind blows the cradle will rock 
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall 
Down will come baby, bough, cradle and all/’ 

and then: 

“ Good night 
Sleep tight 
Wake up bright 
In the morning light 
To do what’s right 
With all your might.” 

The next thing they knew was that the sun was shining 
in at the window of their own bedroom, where they were 
both in their own little cots, which stpod side by side. 

How they got there they could never remember. 

MOTHER goose’s ZO-O-LO-GI-CAL GARDEN. 

And the Wonder Shoes grew bigger and bigger, and 
every fine day the children wandered away down the 
Queen’s Walk. But the old lady was not to be seen 
every day. 

At last there came a day which was one of the most 
wonderful days in the wonderful lives of these two little 
children. They were out bright and early and the Won¬ 
der Shoes seemed to help them to walk faster and farther 
than ever before, and very soon they saw the old lady 
coming to meet them from the end of the long walk. 


36 


AT MOTHER^ KNEE 


After their good-mornings were said in the politest 
manner possible, she said: 

“I think we might spend today in my Zoo.” 

Now this puzzled the children very much, and they said 
in one breath, “Your Zoo? What is a Zoo?” 

“Well, it is my Zo-o-lo-gi-cal Garden,” replied the old 
lady. 

“What a long, funny word,” said Carlo. 

“What grows in the garden?” said Lottie. 

“Come and you shall see/ And as they went the old 
lady sang to them— 

“ Bow, wow,” 

Says the dog; 
u Mew, mew,” 

Says the cat; 

“ Grunt, grunt,” 

Says the hog; 

And “ squeak ” 

Goes the rat. 

" Tu-whu,” 

Says the owl; 

“ Caw, caw,” 

Says the crow. 

“ Quack, quack,” 

Says the duck; 

And what sparrows 
Say, you know. 

So, with sparrows and owls, 

With rats and with dogs, 

With ducks and with crows, 

With cats and with hogs, 

A fine song I have made, 

To please you, my dear; 

And if it's well sung, 

1 Twill be charming to hear. 

When she had finished, Lottie said in a whisper to 
Carlo: 

“Perhaps the Zoo Garden is where she keeps her pet 
cats and dogs and Dicky birds.” 


MOTHER GOOSE'S ZO-O-LO-GI-CAL GARDEN 


37 


Before lie could answer the old lady, whose ears were 
of the very sharpest, said, “You have guessed right, and 
here we are at the gate.” 

As the gate opened, one of the most beautiful pussy 
cats in the world came up to the children and rubbed it¬ 
self against their legs. Of course the children in some 
queer way knew exactly what to say, and they both re¬ 
peated : 

“ I love little pussy, her coat is so warm, 

And if I don’t hurt her, she’ll do me no harm, 

So I’ll not pull her tail nor drive her away 
But pussy and I very gently will play.” 

Then the other cats they saw! There was 

A cat who came fiddling, 

Out of a barn. 

With a pair of bagpipes 
Under her arm. 

She could ding nothing 
But fiddle cum fee 
The mouse has married 
The Bumble-bee. 

And the children and the old lady all sang together: 

‘Pipe cat, dance mouse, 

We’ll have a wedding 
At our good house. 

Then there was pussy cat Mole 
Who jumped over a coal 
And in her best petticoat 
Burnt a great hole. 

Pussy cat Mole, 

Shan’t have any milk 
Till the best petticoat’s 
Mended with silk.” 

And then there was the cat that ran up the plum tree. 
As soon as the children saw it do that, they said: 

“ Half a crown, 

To fetch her down 
Diddledy, diddledy dumpty ” 

Vol. 1—3 


38 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


But no one fetched her down, and the eat never came 
back, so they kept their half a crown. 

After looking in upon 

Dame Trot and her cat 
Who lead a peaceful life 
When they were not troubled 
With other folk’s strife. 

They saw: 

The two gray kits 
And the gray kits’ mother 

All go over 

The bridge together; 

The bridge broke down, 

And they all fell in. 

This was funny and made the children laugh, because 
no one came to any harm, but it was nothing to the way 
they laughed when they saw: 

The cat and the fiddle 

The cow jumped over the moon, 

The little dog laughed 
To see such sport 

While the dish ran away with the spoon. 

While they were still laughing at these funny antics a 
fine black cat came scampering by with something in her 
mouth. She went so quickly that the children could 
hardly see what it was, but they both began: 

u Sing, sing, what shall I sing? 

Cat’s ran away with the pudding string, 

Do, do, what shall I do? 

The cat has bitten it quite in two.” 

Sitting in a stately manner in a corner all alone was 
the biggest and proudest looking cat that ever was seen. 
Round its neck was a curious collection of pieces of paper 
of different colors, with curious words in strange lan¬ 
guages, names of foreign cities and far-away hotels 
printed on them. Any one could see that this cat had 
been a great traveler and the children at once said to 
him: 


MOTHER GOOSE S ZO-O-LO-GI-CAL GARDEN 


39 


“ Pussy cat, pussy cat, 

Where have you been ? ” 

Very proudly he purred his reply: 

“ Fve been to London 

To look at the Queen.” 

Then the children asked him 

“ Pussy cat, pussy cat, 

What did you there 1 ” 

And still more proudly he said: 

“I frightened a little mouse 
Under her chair.” 

The prettiest thing that they saw in the Cat-land of 
Mother Goose's Zoo was the cutest little cats' house that 
you ever could imagine. In it were three of the loveliest 
little kittens, living at home with their mother. As they 
watched and admired the beautiful group— 

The kittens began to cry, 
u 0 mother dear, 

We very much fear 

That we have lost our mittens.” 

** Lost your mittens! 

You naughty kittens! 

Then you shall have no pie.” 
u Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.” 

“ No, you shall have no pie.” 

“ Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.” 

The three little kittens found their mitteniv 
And they began to cry, 

“ 0 mother dear, 

See here, see here, 

See! we have found our mittens.* 

u Put on your mittens, 

You silly kittens, 

And you may have some pie.” 

“ Purr-r, purr-r, purr-r, 


40 


AT MOTHER^ KNEE 


Oh, let us have the pie. 

Purr-r, purr-r, purr-r.” 

The three little kittens put on their mittens. 
And soon ate up the pie; 

“ 0 mother dear, 

We greatly fear 

That we have soiled our mittens.” 

“ Soiled your mittens! 

You naughty kittens!” 

Then they began to sigh, 

“ Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.” 

Then they began to sigh, 

“ Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow.” 

The three little kittens washed their mittens 
And hung them out to dry, 

“ 0 mother dear, 

Do you not hear, 

That we have washed our mittens?” 

“Washed your mittens! 

Oh you’re good kittens, 

But I smell a rat close by! ” 

“ Hush, hush! mee-ow, mee-ow! 

We smell a rat close by! 

Mee-ow, mee-ow, mee-ow! ” 


But there were dogs as well as cats, and as one came 
up with a 

“Bow, wow, wow,” 

Lottie said: 


“ Whose dog art thou ? ” 

And the wonderful dog replied: 

“Little Tom Tinker’s dog, 
Bow, wow, wow.” 

Then they saw the 

Two little dogs 
Who sat by the fire 
Over a fender of fire-dust. 


MOTHER GOOSE’S ZO-O-LO-GI-CAL GARDEN 


41 


Said one little dog, 

To the other little dog, 

“ If you don’t talk, why I must.” 

And there was also the dog who 

Leg over leg went to Dover 
When he came to a stile 
Jump — he went over. 

The cats and dogs in Mother Goose’s Zoo were won¬ 
derful and wise beasts, but I think the Twins were even 
better pleased with the birds they saw there. They saw 
the cock robin who got up early 

At the break of day 
And went to Jenny’s window 
To sing a roundelay. 

He sang Cock Robin’s love 
To the pretty Jenny Wren 
And when he got unto the end 
Then he began again. 

There were also the 

Four and twenty blackbirds 
Baked in a pie, 

They saw that 

When the pie was opened 
The birds began to sing 

And then the twins said to each other: 

“ Is not that a dainty dish 
To set before a King?” 

But they happily just missed seeing the cruel sight 
when 

The maid was in the garden 
Hanging out the clothes 
And up came a blackbird 
And snapped off her nose. 


42 


AT MOTHER^ KNEE 


They did, however, see that 

Little Robin Redbreast who sat upon a tree, 

Up went pussy-cat, and down went he; 

Down came pussy-cat, and away Robin ran; 

Says little Robin Redbreast, “ Catch me if you can.” 

Little Robin Redbreast jumped upon a wall, 

Pussy-cat jumped after him, and almost got a fall; 

Little Robin chirped and sang, and what did pussy say? 
Pussy-cat said “ Mee-ow,” and Robin flew away. 

And then the hens and chickens and roosters there 
were there! Somehow Lottie began to tell Carlo about: 

“ Higgledy, piggledy, my black hen, 

She lays eggs for gentlemen; 

Sometimes nine and sometimes ten, 

Higgledy piggledy, my black hen.” 

There must have been something in the air of Mother 
Goose Land, for Carlo seeing a handsome bird crowing 
away with all his might turned to his sister and said: 

“ The cock doth crow 
To let you know 
If you be wise 
IPs time to rise.” 

But the old lady said, “Not yet, for you must go to 
bed before you rise. I have more to show you in my 
Zoo before you go to bed, but let me first tell you about 
another Mary who is not contrary. You can see her if 
you look in at the window over there”: 

Mary had a pretty bird, 

Feathers bright and yellow, 

Slender legs; upon my word, 

He was a pretty fellow. 

The sweetest notes he always sung, 

Which much delighted Mary; 

And near the cage she’d often sit, 

To hear her own Canary. 


MOTHER GOOSE’S ZO-O-LO-GI-CAL GARDEN 


43 


The very same Cushey-cow bonny they had seen before 
was wandering near them with a lovely little calf by its 
side and Carlo was so merry at the thought of more warm, 
sweet milk that he sang: 

“ I had a little cow; Hey-diddle, ho-diddle! 

I had a little cow, and it had a little calf; 

Hey-diddle, ho-diddle; and there’s my song half. 

I had a little cow; 

Hey-diddle, ho-diddle! 

I had a little cow, and I drove it to the stall; 

Hey-diddle, ho-diddle; and there’s my song all! ” 

And the old lady told them that 

There was an old man 
And he had a calf, 

And that’s half. 

He took him out of the stall 
And put him on the wall, 

And that’s all. 

Then there was a poor dirty, muddy pony standing all 
alone with his head hanging down and looking very tired 
indeed. When Lottie saw it she told Oarlo in quite a 
secret way, as if she wished no one else to hear: 

u I had a little pony, 

His name was Dapple-gray, 

I lent him to a lady, 

To ride a mile away; 

She whipped him, she lashed him, 

She rode him through the mire; 

I would not lend my pony now 
For all the lady’s hire.” 

But Carlo hardly listened to her story, for he was look¬ 
ing at the most curious horse that ever was seen, and 
the most curious thing about it was that a little boy was 
carrying it in his arms and singing: 

“ I had a little hobby-horse, 

And it was dapple gray; 

Its head was made of pea-straw, 

Its tail was made of hay. 


44 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


I sold it to an old woman 
For a copper groat; 

And Fll not sing my song again 
Without another groat.” 

Now pigs are almost the funniest little beasties in all 
the wide world, but the pigs in the Mother Goose Land are 
funnier than all. The children saw there: 

A long tailed pig, a short tailed pig, 

A pig without a tail, 

A sow pig, a boar pig, 

And a pig with a curly tail. 

There was also the wonderful pig about which the old 
lady said: 

“Upon my word and honor, 

As I was going to Bonner 
I met a pig 
Without a wig, 

Upon my word and honor.” 

And—this pig really had no wig, so the children knew 
it must have been the same one. 

Then there was the pig that 

Flew up in the air and 
The man in brown who brought him down 
With a dickery, dickery dare. 

And of all the queer pigs there was the pig that be¬ 
longed to Betty Pringle—and this is the story which 
Mother Goose told the children about it. 

Betty Pringle had a little pig, 

Not very little and not very big, 

When he was alive he lived in clover, 

But now he’s dead, and that’s all over. 

So Billy Pringle he lay down and cried, 

And Betty Pringle she lay down and died; 

So there was an end of one, two, and three: 

Billy Pringle he 
Betty Pringle she 
And the piggy-wiggy. 


MOTHER GOOSE’S ZO-O-LO-GI-CAL GARDEN 


45 


“But what is that little girl crying for?” said Lottie, 
hardly able to keep politely quiet until the old lady had 
finished. 

“Why, here is little Bo-peep,” said she, “and I will 
tell you her story.” 

Little Bo-peep 
Has lost her sheep, 

And can’t tell 

Where to find them; 

Leave them alone, 

And they’ll come home, 

And bring their 
Tails behind them. 

Little Bo-peep fell fast asleep, 

And dreamt she heard them bleating; 

But when she awoke and found it a joke, 

For they still were all fleeting. 

Then up she took her little crook, 

Determined for to find them; 

She found them indeed, but it made her heart bleed, 

For they’d left all their tails behind ’em! 

It happened one day, as Bo-peep did stray, 

Unto a meadow hard by — 

There she espied their tails side by side 
All hung on a tree to dry. 

She heaved a sigh, and wiped her eye, 

And over the hillock she raced; 

And tried what she could, 

As a shepherdess should., 

That each tail should be 
Properly placed. 


Carlo’s attention was wandering again, and as soon 
as the story of Bo-peep was done he went up to two sheep 
which stood by themselves and Lottie listened while hr v > 
had this conversation with them: 

“Bah, bah, black sheep, 

Have you any wool?” 

“ Yes, many, have I, 

Three bags full: 


46 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 

“ One for my master, 

One for my dame, 

And one for the little boy 
Who lives in the lane.” 

The sight of the little lambs frisking about by the side 
of their mothers then set Lottie to singing: 

“ Young lambs to sell, 

Young lambs to sell; 

If I’d as much money as I could tell, 

I never would cry — young lambs to sell.” 

But, oh, dear me, if I do not make haste I shall never 
tell you all the children saw that day. There was 

The mouse that ran up the clock, 

The clock struck one 
And down he run, 

Dickory, Dickory, Dock. 

And the little: 

Mice that sat in a barn to spin, 

Pussy came by and he peeped in. 

“ Shall I come in and cut off your threads?” 
u Oh, no, kind sir, you’ll snap off our heads,” 

said the mice. 

Presently they came to a fine old-fashioned farm-house 
and the farmer ’s wife greeted them with a pleasant smile 
and invited them to go inside. They had not been there 
long before they saw the 

Three blind mice, see how they run 
They all ran after the farmer’s wife, 

Who cut off their tails with the carving knife. 

And the old lady said: 

“ Did you ever see such a thing in your life 
As three blind mice ?” 

It was in the farmer’s house too that they saw that 

Miss Jane had a bag, and a mouse was in it, 

She opened the bag, he was out in a minute; 


QUEER FOLKS IN MOTHER GOOSE LAND 


47 


The eat saw him jump and run under the table, 

And the dog said, “ Catch him, puss, as soon as you’re able.” 

Out of doors again trotted the children, and while 
Carlo was saying to a snail which he saw on the wall: 

“ Snail, snail, put out your horn, 

Then Fll give you a barley corn.” 

the children were startled by a terrible rushing of feet, 
and a sound as of a crowd of people hurrying away. 

The children knew at once that it was 

The four and twenty tailors 
Who went to kill a snail, 

The best man among them 
Durst not touch her tail; 

She put out her horns 
Like a little Kyloe cow, 

Run, tailors, run! or 

She’ll kill you all e’en now. 

By this time the evening was coming on—the owls 
were begining to wake up, for you know owls sleep all 
day and only wake up at night, and the last thing the 
twins remembered seeing and hearing that day was 

The owl who lived in an oak 
Wisky, wasky, weedle, 

And every word he ever spoke 
Was “ fiddle, faddle, feedle” 


Truly this was a wonderful day for the children and 
I have not told you of one-half of the wonderful things 
that there are in the wonderful Zo-o-lo-gi-cal Gardens of 
Mother Goose. 

QUEER FOLK IN MOTHER GOOSE LAND. 

And the Wonder Shoes grew bigger and bigger, and 
the children kept on their wanderings in Mother Goose 
Land. It was not long after their wonderful day in the 



48 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


Zo-o-lo-gi-cal Gardens of Mother Goose—the twins could 
now find their way through the gates alone, and they 
often used to roam about without ever seeing the old lady 
herself,—when one bright morning the old lady met 
them, and after they had all three politely wished each 
other good day, she said: 

“I think it is time you met some of my queer people .’’ 

i ‘ What are queer people ? ’ ’ said the twins. ‘ i Are they 
like Mary, Mary, so contrary?” 

44 There is no one else quite like her,” was the answer. 
‘ 4 There are queer people of all sorts.” 

“Are they kind and good?” asked Lottie. 

“They were never known to hurt little boys and girls,” 
replied the old lady. “All, who is this?” and Mother 
Goose said: 

“ Little boy blue, come blow your born, 

The sheep's in the meadow, the cow's in the corn. 

Where's the boy that looks after the sheep? 

He's under the haycock, fast asleep. 

Will you wake him? No, not I; 

For if I do, he’ll be sure to cry.” 

So they left him sleeping there. Just then who should 
2ome along but Simple Simon. The children knew him 
at once. It was the same 

Simple Simon who met a pieman, 

Going to the fair; 

Says Simple Simon to the pieman, 

“ Let me taste your ware.” 

Says the pieman to Simple Simon, 

“ Show me first your penny.” 

Says Simple Simon to the pieman, 

“Indeed I have not any.” 

Simple Simon went a-fishing 
For to catch a whale; 

All the water he could find 
Was in his mother's pail! 

Simple Simon went to look 
If plums grew on a thistle; 


QUEER FOLKS IN MOTHER GOOSE LAND 


49 


He pricked his fingers very much, 

Which made poor Simon whistle. 

He went to catch a dicky bird, 

And thought he could not fail, 

Because he had a little salt, 

To put upon its tail. 

He went for water with a sieve, 

But soon it all ran through, 

And now poor Simple Simon 
Bids you all adieu. 

As Simple Simon went away there came up 

The girl in the lane that couldn't speak plain 
Cried gobble, gobble, gobble, 

And the man on the hill that couldn't keep still 
Went hobble, hobble, hobble. 

Charley Wag, who ate the pudding and left the bag, fol¬ 
lowed them, and then sure enough it was nobody but 
Little Jack Horner whom they next saw. There he was 
in his corner 

Eating of Christmas pie, 

He put in his thumb 
And took out a plum 
And said 11 What a brave boy am I!" 

For a while they wandered along and met no one else, 
but they presently saw the most odd, curly-wurly, crink- 
ley-wrinkley little house that ever was; nothing about 
it was straight. The chimney was like a corkscrew and 
the children soon found out who lived there. It was 

The little crooked man, and he went a crooked mile, 

He found a crooked sixpence against a crooked stile; 

He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse, 

And they all lived together in a crooked little house. 

Presently 

A man came riding on a little Jack Nag 
Another before him with bottle and bag. 


50 AT MOTHER’S KNEE 

These of course were, 

Robin and Richard 
Two pretty men, 

Who lay in bed 

Till the clock struck ten. 

Then up starts Robin 
And looks at the sky, 

Says “ Oh brother Richard, 

The sun's very high! ” 

Then there was 

Margery Daw, 

Who sold her bed 
And lay upon straw. 

and 

The three Wise Men of Gotham 
Who went to sea in a bowl, 

As they passed them the children fancied they heard 
some one say, 

u If the bowl had been stronger 
My song had been longer.” 

So far the children had wandered without seeing any¬ 
thing to disturb or frighten them. It was all amusing 
and interesting—as they would have said if they had 
known what such long words meant. But all at once 
they heard a terrible screaming, and looking around they 
at once saw what was the matter, for there were 

Jack and Jill who went up the hill, 

To fetch a pail of water; 

Jack fell down, and broke his crown, 

And Jill came tumbling after. 

Mother Goose, however, soon came on the scene and 
mended Jack’s head for him, but there was more noise 
to come, for 

Tom, Tom, the piper's son, 

Stole a pig and away he run, 

The pig was eat and Tom was beat 

And Tom went roaring down the street. 


QUEER FOLKS IN MOTHER GOOSE LAND 


51 


Torn was no sooner out of sight, however, than a man 
in a curious dress of red, black and white, and as thin 
as a piece of cardboard, came running out of a fine-look¬ 
ing house, for all the world just like a king’s palace, and 
so it was. He was crying and screaming and making a 
great to-do. 

‘ ‘ What is the matter ? What shall we do V 1 cried both 
the children. And the old lady, who was quite near them 
in all this turmoil, told them that, 

“ The Queen of Hearts, she made some tarts. 

All on a summer’s day; 

The Knave of Hearts, he stole the tarts, 

And took them clean away. 

The King of Hearts called for the tarts, 

And beat the Knave full sore; 

The Knave of Hearts brought back the tarts, 

And vowed he’d steal no more.” 

All was quiet once more and it really seemed as if the 
children had heard noise enough for one day; but no, 
there was a loud scream from a little girl and a deep 
groan from a funny little old man. The girl was 

Little Miss Muffett, 

She sat on a tuffett, 

Eating of curds and whey; 

There came a great spider 
And sat down beside her, 

Which frightened Miss Muffett away. 

And the old man was 

The man in the moon 
Who came down too soon, 

And asked his way to Norwich; 

He went by the south, 

And burnt his mouth 

With supping cold pease-porridge. 

Then there was a loud barking of dogs, and Carlo said 
to Lottie: 

“Hark, hark! 

The dogs do bark, 


52 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 

The beggars are coming to town; 

Some in tags, 

Some in rags, 

And some in velvet gowns.” 

The children themselves by this time thought they had 
had enough noise for that day, and asked the old lady to 
show them some quiet queer people, for they said: 

“ We’re all in the dumps, 

And diamonds are trumps 
The kittens are gone to St. Paul's, 

The babies are bit 
The moon's in a fit 

And the houses are built without walls.” 

“Very well, ,, she replied, “but let us go into the house 
and rest awhile.’’ 

So they went in, the old lady saying: 

u Cross patch 
Draw the latch, 

Set by the fire and spin. 

Take a cup 
And drink it up, 

Then call your neighbors in.” 

Soon a neat and trim little serving maid appeared, and 
the old lady sang: 

( Polly put the kettle on. 

Polly put the kettle on, 

Polly put the kettle on, 

And let's drink tea.” 

When they had drunk their tea, the twins asked for a 
story, and all they could get at first was: 

“ I'll tell you a story 
About Jack a' Nory, 

And now my story's begun; 

I'll tell you another 
About bis brother, 

And now my story's done.” 


QUEER FOLKS IK MOTHER GOOSE LAND 53 

More, more, ’ ’ begged both the children. So she went 
on, 

“ I had a little husband, 

No bigger than my thumb; 

I put him in a pint-pot, 

And then I bade him drum. 

I bought a little horse, 

That galloped up and down, 

I bridled him, and saddled him, 

And sent him out of town. 

I gave him little garters, 

To garter up his hose, 

And a little handkerchief, 

To wipe his little nose.” 

“More, more,” again cried the children, and the old 
lady went on, 

“ There was a little man and he had a little gun, 

And his bullets were made of lead, lead, lead; 

He went to the brook, and saw a little duck, 

And shot it through the head, head, head. 

He carried it home to his old wife Joan, 

And bade her a fire to make, make, make, 

To roast the little duck he had shot in the brook, 

And he’d go and fetch the drake, drake, drake. 

The drake was a swimming, with his curly tail, 

The little man made it his mark, mark, mark! 

He let off his gun, but he fired too soon; 

And the drake flew away with a 1 Quack! quack! quack! ’ n 

Again the children asked for more, but it was time to 
be going homeward, the old lady said. 

“And besides,” she added, “we have to meet a few 
more of my queer people before you go to bed.” 

And sure enough they did meet some queer people. 
The first one was a man who could not walk straight, no 
matter how he tried. For it was 

Peter White who will never go right, 


Vol. I—4 


54 AT MOTHER’S KNEE 

because, as the children could plainly see, 

He follows his nose wherever he goes, 

And that stands all awry. 

The next queer person they met was an 

Old woman and what do you think, 

She lived upon nothing but victuals and drink; 

Victuals and drink were the chief of her diet, 

And yet this old woman could never be quiet. 

Then a curious couple came creeping along the road, 
and the old lady said: 

4 4 Ah, here is 

Jack Sprat who can eat no fat, 

His wife can eat no lean, 

And so betwixt them both you see 
They make the platter clean.” 

Along came also 

Little Tommy Tucker 
Who sings for his supper, 

What shall he eat? 

White bread and butter. 

How shall he cut it 
Without e’er a knife? 

How shall he marry 
Without e’er a wife? 

After him a funny little fellow wheeling a pretty little 
lady in a wheel-barrow and singing: 

“ When I was a bachelor 
I lived by myself; 

And all the bread and cheese I got 
I put upon the shelf. 

The rats and the mice 
They made such a strife, 

I was forced to go to London 
To buy me a wife. 


The streets were so bad, 

And the lanes were so narrow, 


QUEER FOLKS IN MOTHER GOOSE LAND 


55 


I was forced to bring my wife home 
In a wheelbarrow. 

As the sound of this singing died away, the children 
peeped in at the window of a house they were passing 
and saw three little fellows on three little stools, and this 
is what they heard: 

“To bed! To bed!” 

Says Sleepy Head. 

“ Tarry awhile,” says Slow. 

“ Put on the pot,” 

Says Greedy sot, 

“ We’ll sup before we go.” 

And then they saw and heard and remembered no more. 
Perhaps the rest of the queer people in Mother Goose 
Land had gone to bed, and perhaps the twins themselves 
had dropped off to sleep —I wonder which it was? 

More Queer Folk 

And the Wonder Shoes grew bigger and bigger, as the 
babies continued to grow bigger and bigger, and still 
they wandered in the Land of Mother Goose. But the 
days were growing shorter, and neither Mother Goose 
nor the children now spent so much time out of doors in 
the Queen’s Walk—or in the Wonder Land beyond. But 
there were some few fine days left and some more of the 
old lady’s friends to meet. One day they met the man 
who 

Was wondrous wise, 

He jumped into a bramble bush, 

And scratched out both his eyes; 

But when he saw his eyes were out, 

With all his might and main, 

He jumped into another bush, 

And scratched ’em in again. 

Another time they saw 

Three men in a tub, 

And who do you think they be; 

The butcher, the baker, 

The candlestick maker, 

Turn them out now all three. 


56 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 

And there were more kings in Mother Goose Land also. 
First there was 

Little King Boggen he built a fine hall, 

Pie-crust and pastry-crust that was the wall, 

The windows were made of black puddings and white, 

And slated with pancakes, you ne’er saw the like. 

Then there was 

The King of France who went up the hill 
With twenty thousand men, 

The King of France who came down the hill 
And ne’er went up again. 

But the funniest and the merriest and the jolliest of 
all the kings the children saw was 

Old King Cole 
The merry old soul, 

And a merry old soul was he; 

He called for his pipe, 

And he called for his bowl, 

And he called for his fiddlers three. 

And every fiddler he had a fine fiddle, 

And a very fine fiddle had he; 

“ Twee tweedle dee, tweedle dee,” went the fiddlers, 
u Twee tweedle dee,” said he 
Oh, there’s none so rare, 

As can compare 

With King Cole and his fiddlers three. 

They met also 

The three jovial huntsmen, 

As I have heard them say, 

And they would go a-hunting 
All on a summer’s day. 

All the day they hunted, 

And nothing could they find 
But a ship a-sailing, 

A-sailing with the wind. 

One said it was a ship, 

The other said “ Nay; ” 















CHILDHOOD JOYS 

FROM THE PAINTING BY VON LASCH IN THE DRESDEN GALLERY 

One of the best of the joys of childhood is the joy of life 
out-of-doors. And there is after all no more healthy joy than 
the joy of being useful. The mother with the hay-rake feels it— 
the little ones playing at driver feel it—the girl pulling and the 
boy pushing the wheelbarrow both feel and know it, for tasks 
become a pleasure when performed with a will. 




QUEER FOLKS IN MOTHER GOOSE LAND 


59 


The third said it was a house 
With the chimney blown away. 

And all the night they hunted, 

And nothing could they find, 

But the moon a-gliding, 

A-gliding with the wind. 

One said it w T as the moon, 

The other said “ Nay; ” 

The third said it was a cheese, 

And half o’’t cut away. 

But if these huntsmen were curious fellows, some of 
the children they met were curios-er, especially 

The three children sliding on the ice, 

Upon a summer day; 

As it fell out they all fell in, 

The rest they ran away. 

Now had these children been at home, 

Or sliding on dry. ground, 

Ten thousand pounds to one penny 
They had not all been drowned. 

Another time the old lady showed them two of her 
very curios-est characters. One she said was 

The man in the wilderness who asked me 
How many strawberries grew in the sea? 

I answered him as I thought good, 

As many as red herrings grew in the wood. 

and the other 

Was a man, and he had nought, 

And robbers came to rob him; 

He crept up through the chimney pot 
And then they thought they had him. 

But he got down on t’other side, 

And then they could not find him; 

He ran fourteen miles in fifteen days. 

And never looked behind him. 


60 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


There were many, many more wonderful things in 
Mother Goose Land, and the children used in these days 
to go as far as the old lady’s house, which as you know 

Was built in a wood 
Where an owl at the door, 

For sentinel stood. 

Now the owl, you know, is said to be a bird of great 
wisdom—why, I do not know, perhaps because he does 
not look very wise, only very solemn. Anyhow, the old 
lady was a very wise old lady herself and she taught the 
twins a very great many things which they did not quite 
understand then, but which meant a great deal to them 
when they grew older. 

One night when the wind was blowing hard she told 
them 

“ My Lady Wind, my Lady Wind 
Went round the house to find 
A chink to get her foot in: 

She tried the key-hole in the door, 

She tried the crevice in the floor, 

And drove the chimney soot in. 

•* And then one night when it was dark 
She blew up such a tiny spark 
That all the house was pothered: 

From it she raised up such a flame 
As flamed away to Belting Lane, 

And White Cross folks were smothered. 

“ And thus when once, my little dears, 

A whisper reaches itching ears, 

The same will come, you’ll find: 

Take my advice, restrain the tongue, 

Remember what old Nurse has sung 
Of busy Lady Wind! ” 

At other different times she told them about the signs 
of the weather; about the seasons of the year; the days 
of the week and of the month; and told them games and 
riddles; about how to tell the time; the days to play and 
the time to go to bed; and the time to get out of bed; to 

Come when you’re called 
Do what you’re bid, 


QUEER FOLKS IN MOTHER GOOSE LAND 


61 


Shut the door after you 
And never be chid. 

And all this lasted until a whole year and more had 
passed away. One day soon after 

Daffy Down Dilly 
Had come up to town 
In a yellow petticoat 
And a green gown. 

The old lady and the twins were walking along the 
Queen’s Walk toward their homes, when they met three 
of the oddest folk they had ever seen and yet it seemed 
to the children that they must have seen them somewhere 
before. As they came nearer all three of them politely 
bowed, and Mother Goose said: 

Ah, I see, 

Little A 
Great A, 

Bouncing B. 

“Yes,” she continued, each of the Twins saying after 
her two lines in turn: 

A, B, C, and D, 

Pray, playmates, agree. 

E, F, and G, 

Well, so it shall be. 

J, K, and L, 

In peace we will dwell. 

M, N, and 0, 

To play let us go. 

P, Q, R, and S, 

Love may we possess. 

W, X, and Y, 

Will not quarrel or die. 

Z, and ampersand 
Go to school at command. 

“Children,” said the old lady, a little sadly, “I fear 
I must now say ‘good-bye.’ Here are some new and 
powerful friends who can show you more wonderful and 
more beautiful things than I have done.” 


62 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


‘ ‘ But may we never come and see you any more,’ 9 said 
the twins, who were more than half crying. 

“Oh, yes,” she said, “my Wonder Land is always open 
to people of child-like minds—they always come back to it 
with pleasure and I am always glad to see them, no mat¬ 
ter how old they are.” 

The twins stood silent and were quite sad for a little 
while. Then the old lady said: 

“Wait a little longer, I must not leave you without my 
parting gifts.” 

What else she said and what the gifts were the chil¬ 
dren did not understand or know, but I understand and 
know what they were—and so did the children in later 
years. 

One gift she gave them was the gift of taking pleasure 
in innocent fun and odd fancies; another gift she gave 
them was the gift of a love of rhythm, of rhyme and of 
song—a gift which enabled them ever afterward to love 
the music of verses and sweet sounds, and later on gave 
them the power of enjoying the beauties there are in 
music. 

IN NURSERY STORY LAND. 

And the Wonder Shoes grew bigger and bigger as the 
twins grew bigger and bigger. The children soon grew 
to know the new friends they had met—I told you of 
them in the last chapter—so well that they did not have 
to stop to remember their names when they met them, no 
matter how they were mixed up—and they did mix 
themselves up in all sorts of queer ways, it is true. 

These new friends turned out to be the very best 
friends they ever made—for now in all the wonderful 
wanderings of the twins of which I have yet to tell you, 
they were always to be found, and it was these new 
friends who helped them to understand the people they 
met, and the things they saw as they went through 
Nursery Story Land, and many of the other curious 
places into which the Wonder Shoes led them in these 
and in later years. 

Of course, I shall not be able to tell you of all the 


IN NURSERY STORY LAND 


63 


things the twins saw in their wandering, or of all the 
things they heard and did. Time and distance made no 
difference to these wonderful shoes, and they often took 
the children fast and far. Indeed, the older the children 
grew the faster and farther they traveled, and as the 
Wonder Shoes always kept their bright whiteness they 
were a lamp for their feet and a light for their path 
wherever they went. 

Just beyond Mother Goose Land, but so near as to 
seem to be a part of it, was another country which was 
full of people and places which kept the twins busy ex¬ 
ploring for a long while. Some people think that part 
of this land belongs to Mother Goose, and indeed I have 
seen in some maps of that part of the world in which it 
is all marked as belonging to her. But I know that 
Mother Goose herself does not claim it as her own. She 
has enough to do with what really does belong to her, 
and she is always kept busy showing her visitors about 
in her own land. I wonder if you have any idea of how 
many visitors she has every year? There are certainly 
millions of them, but I cannot say how many millions. 

However, our twins with their Wonder Shoes and 
their new friends were able to find their way about with¬ 
out the old lady by this time. 

I do not think I told you of a very curious thing about 
the new friends the children met towards the end of their 
stay in Mother Goose Land. They were quite deaf and 
dumb, all the twenty-six of them (did you count them?) 
—and yet they were able to speak to the children in a 
language they could understand. It is true it took them 
some time to find out what their new friends meant, but 
their eagerness to explore new countries and to see new 
sights made it much easier for them than it would have 
been. 

On one of their earliest wanderings in this new coun¬ 
try, they met a rat and a cat and a dog and a cow, and 
a girl, and a man, and a priest and a rooster, and a 
farmer sowing corn in a field—all these were walking 
in a procession and their new friends told them 


64 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


This is the farmer sowing his corn, 

That kept the cock that crowed in the morn, 

That waked the priest all shaven and shorn, 

That married the man all tattered and tom, 

That kissed the maiden all forlorn, 

That milked the cow with the crumpled horn, 

That tossed the dog, 

That worried the cat, 

That killed the rat, 

That ate the malt 

T1 at lay in the house that Jack built. 

Now if you can say all this backwards, beginning: 
This is the house that Jack built, This is the malt that 
lay in the house that Jack built, This is the rat that ate 
the malt that lay in the house that Jack built—and so 
on without making a single mistake, you will be as clever 
as the twins were—for they could do it easily. 

It would seem that at this time there were many pro¬ 
cessions going about in the country, for not long after 
they met another. There was an old woman, and a pig, 
and a dog, and an ox, and a butcher, and a mouse, all 
walking round a fire, and a pail of water which was near 
a tree, over a bough of which a strong rope was hanging. 

As the children were looking, the old woman put her 
hand in her pocket and found a nice piece of cheese; and 
when the mouse had eaten it, 

The mouse began to gnaw the rope, 

The rope began to hang the butcher, 

The butcher began to kill the ox, 

The ox began to drink the water, 

The water began to quench the fire, 

The fire began to bum the stick, 

The stick began to beat the dog, 

The dog began to bite the pig, 

And the pig began to go. 

The old lady very kindly explained to the twins that 
she was sweeping her house that morning when to her 
great joy she found a silver sixpence. 

“What,” thought she, “shall I do with this little six¬ 
pence? I think I will go to market and buy a pig.” 
So the next day, she went to market, and bought a nice 


IN NURSERY STORY LAND 


65 


little white pig. She tied a string to one of the pig’s 
legs, and began to drive him home. 

On the way, the old woman and her pig came to a stile, 
and she said: 

u Please, pig, get over the stile.” 

But the pig would not. 

And the dog would not bite the pig, and the stick would 
not beat the dog, and the fire would not burn the stick, 
and the water would not quench the fire, and the ox would 
not drink the water, and the butcher would not kill the 
ox, and the rope would not hang the butcher, and the 
mouse would not gnaw the rope—until the old woman 
found the piece of cheese I have told you of. But what 
time the old woman and her pig got home, you, nor I, 
nor anybody knows. 

Another time they came to a curious monument erected 
to the memory of a wonderful dog. 

{i This wonderful dog 

Was Dame Hubbard's delight. 

He could sing, he could dance, 

He could read, he could write,” 

was part of the writing on the monument. But he could 
laugh and feed the cat, and dance a jig, and play the flute, 
and ride a goat, and use the spinning wheel, and, said 
the silent friends, this is the way he came to his sad end: 

Old Mother Hubbard 

Went to the cupboard, 

To get her poor Dog a bone; 

And when she came there, 

The cupboard was bare, 

And so the poor Dog had none. 

She went to the baker's 
To buy him some bread; 

And when she came back, 

The poor Dog was dead. 

On one fine day the children saw a sign-post which read 
“This way to Lee.” This looked as if there might be 


6G 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


something or somebody to see at Lee, for if not surely no 
one would have taken the trouble to put up the sign-post. 
The children made up their minds to go to Lee to see. 
Just as they reached the village a comical sight met their 
eyes which made the children smile. They could not 
help it, though they were too polite to laugh outright, so 
they bowed and said good-morning as soberly as they 
could. Now this was 

Dame Wiggins of Lee 
A worthy old soul, 

As e’er threaded a needle, or 
Wash’d in a bowl; 

She held mice and rats 
In such antipa-thy, 

That seven fine cats 
Kept Dame Wiggins of Lee. 

Being a kind hearted old lady who loved children as 
much as she loved her cats—I am sorry to say I have 
seen some people who do not—she stopped her dancing 
and answered the greeting of the twins. 

i ‘ Come, children, and rejoice with me, for I have my 
eats again / 9 said she. “And as we go I will tell you 
about them.” 

She told them how the cats, having driven all the rats 
and mice away, had been sent to school where soon they 
all of them learned 


How to read the word 11 milk,” 

And to spell the word “ mew,” 
And they all washed their faces 
Before they took tea. 

“ Was there ever such dears,” 

Said Dame Wiggins of Lee. 


The cats learned to fish, to row a boat, to mend car¬ 
pets, to slide and skate on the ice, 


And when spring-time came back 
They had breakfast of curds; 
And were greatly afraid 
Of disturbing the birds. 


IN NURSERY STORY LAND 


67 


“If you sit, like good cats, 

All the seven in a tree, 

They will teach you to sing! ” 

Said Dame Wiggins of Lee. 

She told them, too, how the eats wheeled a poor sick 
lamb home in a barrow and nursed it till it was well. 
Then came the sad story of how 

She wished them good night, 

And went up to bed: 

When, lo! in the morning, 

The cats were all fled. 

But soon — what a fuss! 

“ Where can they all be ? 

Here, pussy, puss, puss! ” 

Cried Dame Wiggins of Lee. 

And she told them, too, that she was dancing for joy, be¬ 
cause one day when “her heart was nigh broke,’’ 

She sat down to weep, 

When she saw them come back, 

Each riding a sheep. 

She fondled and patted 
Each purring tom-my. 

Ah, welcome, my dears,” 

Said Dame Wiggins of Lee. 

Then she told the children how kind the farmer had 
been—how he 

“ Gave them some field mice 
And raspberry cream,” 

and the pranks the cats played afterwards, blowing on 
trumpets and riding each on the back of a goose. Until 
at last 

You see them arrived 
At their Darned welcome door; 

They show her their presents, 

And all their good store. 

. “Now come in to supper, 

And sit down with me; 

All welcome once more,” 

Cried Dame Wiggins of Lee. 


68 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


Not very far from the village of Lee, as they were re¬ 
turning by another way which Dame Wiggins showed 
them, they came to a house in the middle of the wood 
through which they had to go. They had not expected 
to find a house there, so they went near to look at it more 
closely. On the wall was painted the words like this: 

Three Bear House. 

Three Bear House. 

THREE BEAR HOUSE. 

Now the name was printed so because one of the bears 
was a Little, Small, Wee Bear; and one was a Middle 
Sized Bear, and the other was a Great, Huge Bear. 

The twins did not know enough to be afraid of bears, 
or perhaps they knew too much to be afraid of bears, for 
some wise men say that human beings are the last thing 
that beasts will attack unless they are provoked. So 
without any fear the children walked to the house and 
peeped in at the windows, and this is what they saw. 

A little old woman had just lifted the latch and gone 
in; of course she had no business there, as the bears were 
out and they had left their porridge for breakfast on the 
table to cool. There was a little pot of porridge for the 
Little, Small, Wee Bear, and a middle sized pot of por¬ 
ridge for the Middle Bear, and a great pot of porridge 
for the Great, Huge Bear. 

Now the old woman was not a good old woman, for 
she set about helping herself to what did not belong to 
her. 

First she tasted the porridge of the Great, Huge Bear, 
and that was too hot for her. And then she tasted the 
porridge of the Middle Bear, and that was too cold for 
her. And then she went to the porridge of the Little, 
Small, Wee Bear, and tasted that; and that was neither 
too hot nor too cold, but just right; and she liked it so 
well, that she ate it all up. 

Then the little old woman sat down in the chair of the 
Great, Huge Bear, and that was too hard for her. And 
then she sat down in the chair of the Middle Bear, and 
that was too soft for her. And then she sat down in the 


IN NURSERY STORY LAND 


69 


chair of the Little, Small, Wee Bear, and that was neither 
too hard nor too soft, but just right. So she seated her¬ 
self in it, and there she sat till the bottom of the chair 
came out, and down came she, plump upon the ground. 

Then the little old woman went upstairs into the bed¬ 
chamber in which the three bears slept. And first she 
lay down upon the bed of the Great, Huge Bear; but 
that was too high at the head for her. And next she lay 
down upon the bed of the Middle Bear; and that was too 
high at the foot for her. And then she lay down upon 
the bed of the Little, Small, Wee Bear; and that was 
neither too high at the head, nor at the foot, but just 
right. So she covered herself up comfortably, and lay 
there till she fell fast asleep. 

By this time the three bears thought their porridge 
would be cool enough; so they came home to breakfast. 
Now the little old woman had left the spoon of the Great, 
Huge Bear, standing in his porridge. 

“ SOMEBODY HAS BEEN AT MY PORRIDGE!” 

said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff 
voice. And when the Middle Bear looked at his, he saw 
that the spoon was standing in it too. They were wooden 
spoons; if they had been silver ones, the naughty old 
woman would have put them in her pocket. 

“ Somebody Has Been At My Porridge! ” 

said the Middle Bear, in his middle voice. 

Then the Little, Small, Wee Bear looked at his, and 
there was the spoon in the porridge-pot, but the porridge 
was all gone. 

“Somebody has been at my porridge, and has eaten it all up!” 

said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee 
voice. 

Upon this the three bears, seeing that some one had 
entered their house, and eaten up the Little, Small, Wee 
Bear’s breakfast, began to look about them. Now the 


70 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


little old woman had not put the hard cushion straight 
when she rose from the chair of the Great, Huge Bear. 

" SOMEBODY HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY CHAIR!” 

said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff 
voice. 

And the little old woman had squatted down the soft 
cushion of the Middle Bear. 

11 Somebody Has Been Sitting In My Chair! ” 

said the Middle Bear, in his middle voice. 

And you know what the little old woman had done to 
the third chair. 

v Somebody has been sitting in my chair, and has sat the bottom of 
it out!” 

said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little, small, wee 
voice. 

Then the three bears thought it necessary that they 
should make farther search; so they went upstairs into 
their bed-chamber. Now the little old woman had pulled 
the pillow of the Great, Huge Bear out of its place. 

“ SOMEBODY HAS BEEN LYING IN MY BED! ” 

said the Great, Huge Bear, in his great, rough, gruff 
voice. 

And the little old woman had pulled the bolster of the 
Middle Bear out of its place. 

u Somebody Has Been Lying In My Bed! ” 

said the Middle Bear, in his middle voice. 

And when the Little, Small, Wee Bear came to look at 
his bed, there was the bolster in its place and the pillow 
in its place upon the bolster, and upon the pillow was the 
little old woman’s head—which was not in its place, for 
she had no business there. 

“Somebody has been lying in my bed — and here she is! v 

said the Little, Small, Wee Bear, in his little,small, wee 
voice. 















LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD 

AFTER THE PAINTING BY F. HIDDEMAN 


This is another one of those stories as old as man and as 
widespread as the world is big. In his “ Tales of Mother Goose ” 
Charles Perrault, a famous Frenchman, told the story in 1697. 
It was translated into English by one R. Samber, and it came 
to this country with the rest of the Mother Goose Stories. But 
the story belongs not alone to France—the Germans knew it, 
perhaps, before the French did, and the Swedes, perhaps, earlier 
still. 









IN NURSERY STORY LAND 


73 


The little old woman had heard in her sleep the great, 
rough, gruff voice of the Great, Huge Bear; but she was 
so fast asleep that it was no more to her than the roaring 
of the wind, or the rumbling of thunder. And she had 
heard the middle voice of the Middle Bear, but it was 
only as if she had heard some one speaking in a dream. 
But when she heard the little, small, wee voice of the 
Little, Small, Wee Bear, it was so sharp, and so shrill, 
that it awakened her at once. Up she started; and 
when she saw the Three Bears on one side of the bed, 
she tumbled herself out at the other, and ran to the win¬ 
dow. Now the window was open, because the bears, like 
good, tidy bears as they were, always opened their bed¬ 
chamber window when they got up in the morning. Out 
the little old woman jumped; and whether she broke her 
neck in the fall, or ran into the wood and was lost there, 
or found her way out of the wood and was taken up by 
the constable and sent to the House of Correction for a 
vagrant, as she was, I cannot tell. But the Three Bears 
never saw anything more of her. And the children were 
glad she was gone, too, for at one time they half feared 
that if the three Bears did not find the old lady they 
would think the mischief had been done by them. 


A low growl, a “tweet, tweet,’’ from a little bird, and 
a twang and a whizz and a whirr frightened the children 
almost out of their wits one day as they were walking 
through a little wood into which they had never been 
before. While they were wondering what it could all 
mean a very pretty little girl, looking rather pale for all 
that she wore a Red Hood on her head, came walking 
towards them. “Oh, dear! How glad I am,” said she. 

“What is it?” said both children at once. 

“Sit down and I will tell you. My legs tremble so I 
can hardly stand. ’ ’ 

They sat down and then the little girl told her story 
to the children, who, you may be sure, listened with all 
their ears. 

“Mother baked some cakes and made some fresh but- 

Vol. I—5 


74 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 

ter this morning. ‘Go/ she said to me, ‘and take this 
cake and a pot of butter to your grandmother. 

“So I put the things in a basket, and at once set out 
for the village, on this side of the wood, where grand¬ 
mother lived. 

“Just as I came to the edge of the wood, I met a wolf, 
who said, ‘Good-morning, Little Red Riding Hood.’ 

“ ‘Good-morning, Master Wolf,’ said I without a 
thought of fear. 

“ ‘And where are you going?’ said the wolf. 

“ ‘ I am going to my grandmother ’s to take her a cake 
and a pot of butter.’ 

“ ‘And where does your grandmother live?’ asked the 
wolf. 

“ ‘Down past the mill, on the other side of the wood/ 

“ ‘Well, I think that I will go and see her too,’ said the 
wolf. ‘ So I will take this road, and do you take that, and 
we shall see which of us will be there first. ’ 

“Meanwhile I went on my way through the wood, 
stopped to listen to the birds that sang in the trees, 
picked the sweet flowers that grandmother liked, and 
made a pretty nosegay of them. 

“As I went a wasp buzzed about my head, and lighted 
on my flowers. ‘Eat as much as you like/ I said; ‘only 
do not sting me. ’ He buzzed louder, but soon flew away. 

“And a little bird came and pecked at the cake in my 
basket. ‘Take all you want, pretty bird,’ I said. ‘There 
will still be plenty left for grandmother and me.’ 
‘Tweet, tweet/ sang the bird, and was soon out of sight. 

“And soon I came upon an old dame who was looking 
for cresses. ‘Let me fill your basket/ I said, and I gave 
her the bread I had brought to eat by the way. 

‘ ‘ The dame rose and patted my head and said, ‘ Thank 
you, Little Red Riding Hood. If you should meet the 
green huntsman as you go, pray tell him from me that 
there is game in the wind/ 

“I looked all about for the green huntsman, for I had 
never seen or heard of such a person before. 

“At last I passed by a pool of water, so green that you 


IN NURSERY STORY LAND 


75 


would have taken it for grass. There I saw a huntsman, 
clad all in green. He stood looking at some birds that 
flew above his head. 

“ ‘Good-morning, Mr. Huntsman/ said I; 'the water¬ 
cress woman says there is game in the wind. ’ 

4 4 The huntsman nodded. He bent his ear to the 
ground to listen. Then he took an arrow and put it in 
his bow. ‘What can it mean?’ I thought. 

“At last I came to grandmother’s cottage, and gave a 
little tap at the door. ‘Who is there?’ cried a hoarse 
voice which made me say to myself, ‘Poor grandmother 
is very ill, she must have a bad cold.’ 

“ ‘It is I, your Little Red Riding Hood,’ I answered. 
‘I have come to see how you are, and to bring you a pot 
of butter and a cake from mother.’ 

“ ‘Pull the bobbin, and the latch will fly up,’ was the 
reply. I did so, the door flew open, and I went at once 
into the cottage. 

“ ‘Put the cake and butter on the table,’ said what I 
thought was grandmother. ‘Then come and help me to 
rise.’ She had hid her head under the bed-clothes. 

“I took off my things and went to the bed to do as I 
had been told. ‘Why, grandmother,’ I said, ‘what long 
arms you have!’ 

“ ‘The better to hug you, my dear,’ said she. 

“ ‘And, grandmother, what long ears you have!’ 

“ ‘The better to hear you, my dear.’ 

“ ‘Rut, grandmother, what great eyes you have!’ 

“ ‘The better to see you, my dear.’ 

“ ‘But, grandmother, what big teeth you have!’ 

“ ‘The better to eat you with, my dear,’ said the wolf. 
For it was the wolf who had gone round by a quicker 
way. He had got into the bed while grandmother was 
away, visiting the wife of the green huntsman. 

“He was just going to spring upon me when a wasp 
flew into the room and stung him upon the nose. 

“The wolf gave a cry, and a little bird outside sang, 
‘Tweet! tweet!’ This told the green huntsman it was 
time to let fly his arrow, and so the wolf was killed on 


76 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


the spot. This was what you heard before I came out 
of the house / 9 t 

“What a good job the wolf was killed,” said Carlo. 

“Yes, and how fortunate it was that her grandmother 
knew the green huntsman,” said Lottie. 

They walked a little way with the girl who told them 
her name was Red Riding Hood and they parted, each 
saying to the other that they hoped to meet again. But 
the twins never saw Little Red Riding Hood after this. 

The children made many other journeys and wandered 
far and wide in this country, but as I have to tell of 
some things they saw and did in other lands, I can stay 
no longer with them here—except to tell you that at the 
end of these wanderings their new friends (who were 
more powerful even than Mother Goose) had very si¬ 
lently given to them a new gift, and this gift they called 
the first gift from the Treasury of Imagination, and 
along with it the gift of the love of stories which never 
left them in all their after life. 

AMONG THE FAIRIES AND THE GIANTS. 

Of course, the time was sure to come when these Won¬ 
der Shoes—which still grew bigger and bigger to fit the 
growing feet of the twins—should wander with them 
into a greater and more distant Wonderland. 

With their new friends about whom I told you some 
time ago—I wonder if you have yet guessed their names 
—they were able to get acquainted with the Giants and 
Fairies, Genii and Magicians, Ogres and Monsters, 
Dwarfs and Dragons that dwell in all this vast Wonder¬ 
land. They were able to go into the castles and dun¬ 
geons of the Giants and the palaces of Princes and 
Princesses which are to be found from one end of it to 
the other. In fact, they traveled so fast and so far 
in this Wonderland that it is harder than ever for me 
to tell you of all their wanderings in it, or of all the 
wonderful things they saw and heard there. They wan¬ 
dered in this Wonderland for many years, and though 

1 When children are old enough not to be frightened, mothers can use the version 
in which Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother is eaten by the wolf, if they 
prefer it. 













CINDERELLA 

FROM THE PAINTING BY F. HIDDEMAN 

The story of Cinderella is one of the oldest in the world— 
and is told in substance in almost every tongue. The oldest 
known form of it is perhaps that of Rhodope and King Psamme- 
ticus, which dates from B. C. 670. The slipper of Rhodope was 
carried off by an Eagle, while she was bathing—was dropped 
by it at Memphis—King Psammeticus saw it, advertised for the 
owner, and when she came for it, married her. Afterwards, 
sne built one of the pyramids of Egypt. 



AMONG THE FAIRIES AND THE GIANTS 


79 


they are grown up now they often make little journeys 
to it. 

With the Wonder Shoes on their feet and their twenty- 
six friends in their head, it was always easy to get back 
there again. Indeed, they say that there is nothing in 
the world makes old folks young again so quickly as to go 
on these excursions. 

But I must tell you of a few of the folk they met. I 
expect you have heard of some of them and can remem¬ 
ber their names, and as I shall not name any names in 
this chapter, you will have to guess them, or else ask 
some one else who these people in Wonderland were, and 
what were the names of the castles and palaces and dun¬ 
geons and other places they saw. 

One of the first of the Fairies they met was that Fairy 
Godmother who turned a pumpkin into a gilded coach, 
six mice into six dapple-gray horses, a rat into a fat 
coachman with a fine moustache, six lizards into six foot¬ 
men, rags and tatters into clothes of gold and silver all 
decked with jewels, and sent her god-daughter with a 
pair of wonderful slippers to a ball, where a Prince fell 
in love with her, and afterwards married her. 

Perhaps you know what the slippers were made of, 
and how the Prince found out who she was, who wore 
them, and if you do, and if you remember how good the 
Princess was to her envious sisters, you will have learned 
from her story the beauty of obedience and of returning 
good for evil. 

Then they met that Fairy who sent a beautiful, wise, 
graceful and accomplished Princess into a deep sleep for 
a hundred years, and they saw the enchanted palace just 
as it was when the Prince came and woke her up with 
a kiss. They saw the governesses, maids of honor, ladies 
of the bed-chamber and all the servants, the horses, the 
dogs and the Princess’s little spaniel, and the beautiful 
Princess herself all fast asleep, and they saw the Prince 
make his way through the trees and the bushes and bram¬ 
bles which had grown up so thick that no man or beast 
could pass through, and they saw the beautiful Princess 
herself just as she woke up. 


80 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


They also became acquainted with that clever little 
fellow, whose parents tried to lose him and his brothers 
and sisters in the forest. They saw him drop the white 
pebbles one by one so that they might find their way back. 
They saw also the little birds come and eat the crumbs 
of bread which he dropped the second time they were lo-st 
in the forest, so that they could not find their way back. 
They saw the lost children going to the ogre’s castle and 
they saw the clever little fellow put the gold crowns of 
the seven daughters of the ogre on his own and his 
brothers’ heads and their bonnets on the heads of the 
ogre’s daughters. They saw the ogre who meant to kill 
the seven little wanderers kill his own children instead. 
They saw the clever little fellow steal the ogre’s seven- 
leagued boots, which were not half so wonderful as the 
Wonder Shoes, and they saw him get away with his 
money and jewels. They saw also all the wonderful 
things that the clever little fellow did with the ogre’s 
seven-leagued boots, by means of which he and his broth¬ 
ers grew rich and powerful. 

They saw also that other ogre, the richest ever known, 
who lived in a stately castle, and who had the power to 
change himself into any animal he pleased. They saw 
him change himself into a lion to frighten away the fa¬ 
mous cat who did so much to make his master rich. 

Then they heard the artful pussy say that though the 
ogre could change himself into a big beast like a lion or 
an elephant, he could not change himself into a small 
one like a mouse or a rat. 

When the proud ogre said, “You shall see what I can 
do,”—and changed himself into a mouse, they saw the 
clever cat pounce upon him and eat him all up in a sec¬ 
ond, and they saw the clever cat’s master come and take 
possession of the castle of the ogre. 

Once they went all over that wonderful castle where 
every room was unlocked but one. They saw the key 
with which the disobedient and curious wife opened the 
door of that room. Indeed, they peeped into it them¬ 
selves and saw the horrible things that were in it with 
their own eyes. They saw the cruel monster of a hus< 


AMONG THE FAIRIES AND THE GIANTS 


81 


band just as he was going to kill his wife, although she 
was very sorry for what she had done, and they saw her 
brothers come up just in time to save her life. 

Another time they followed that wonderful little fel¬ 
low—surely you know his name—when he went out one 
fine morning and dug a big hole in the ground in front 
of the castle of a cruel giant. 

They saw the giant come out to eat up the little fellow 
and they saw him fall into the pit. Then they saw the 
little fellow come up and kill the giant with his pick-axe. 
They saw him string up two other giants by the neck. 
They followed the little fellow when he went into the 
castle of the Welsh giant, where he put a block of wood 
in the bed and slept on the floor. They saw the giant 
come in with a club and strike many heavy blows on the 
bed, thinking to kill him. And at breakfast time they 
saw the little fellow at breakfast with the giant, and 
they saw the clever trick by which he made the vain old 
giant kill himself. They saw also all the wonderful 
things that the little fellow did in his Coat of Darkness 
and in his Shoes of Swiftness, with his wonderful Sword 
of Sharpness. 

They visited also the giant who had the wonderful hen 
that laid the golden eggs, the bags of gold and silver, and 
the beautiful harp that would play the most lovely music 
without being touched. Perhaps you may remember 
who it was that took them away from the giant and how 
the giant came to a sad end. 

The magician who gave his nephew the magic ring by 
which he obtained the wonderful old lamp, which made 
a powerful genius his slave and procured for him every¬ 
thing he wished, were early friends of the twins. They 
saw the wonderful palace which the genius procured for 
the young man. They’ saw the trick by which the old 
lamp was exchanged for a new one, and the palace con¬ 
veyed to a place far away. They were present when the 
magician who had tricked the youth out of the lamp 
drank the poison and saw the young man take the lamp 
away from him after he was dead; they saw the palace 
restored to its place and the wonderful wedding of the 


82 AT mother’s knee 

youth and the Princess. I wonder if you know the name 
of this youth. 

The lovely girl who, out of pure goodness of heart and 
compassion, agreed to marry the Beast, who was changed 
into a powerful Prince the moment she did so, was a 
very dear friend of the twins, and every time they looked 
at the statues of her two sisters at the gates of the pal¬ 
ace, they were reminded that kindness was better than 
beauty. 

Now there are several different provinces in Wonder¬ 
land. I don’t think I shall stay to tell you of all the 
people the twins met in Hans-Christian-Andersen-land, 
or in Grimm-land, for I think you will be pretty sure to 
go there by yourself or be taken there some day, if you 
have not been there already. But do not forget when 
you do go to look out for the Snow Queen, and the Tin 
Soldier, and the Storks, and the Ugly Duckling and the 
wonderful Silver Shilling. You must also enquire for 
Hansel and Gretchel and the Frog Prince and the Cat 
who married a mouse, and the Fisherman and his wife 
and the Fairy Tale Tree, for the twins met them all and 
many more, and they stayed a long time among them. 

There was another province of Wonderland in which 
the children stayed quite a long while also. They went 
with that little fair-haired girl all through her adven¬ 
tures with the rabbit and the mouse and the Duchess and 
the Hatter and the March Hare; they heard her try to 
say, “How doth the little busy bee,” “You are old Father 
William,” and “ Tis the voice of the sluggard,” and 
how the twins laughed when the words would not come 
right! They saw the baby pig and that wonderful Van¬ 
ishing Cat. They went to the Mad Tea Party, and 
played croquet in the Queen’s grounds. They heard the 
Mock Turtle tell its tearful tale, and took part in the 
Lobster Quadrille. 

They saw the trial of the Knave of Hearts, who stole 
the tarts, and they remembered that they were actual 
witnesses of the crime, when they were visiting the Land 
of Mother Goose. Then they went on that wonderful 
visit with the same little girl to Looking-glass House, 


AMONG THE FAIRIES AND THE GIANTS 83 

and met the Eed Queen and the White Queen and all 
their court. They saw the Jabberwock with 4 ‘the jaws 
that bite, the claws that catch—” and the Jub-jub bird 
and the Bandersnatch. They went through the Garden 
of Live Flowers and talked with Tweedle-dum and 
Tweedle-dee and heard the latter tell the story of the 
Walrus and the Carpenter. There they met also another 
old friend of Mother Goose Land,—that same Humpty 
Dumpty who sat on a wall—and listened to the curious 
poetry he recited to the little girl. They met the Lion 
and the Unicorn, both old friends from the Land of 
Mother Goose, and laughed heartily at the antics of the 
Red Knight and the White Knight, and last of all they 
saw the fair-haired little girl crowned queen, and all the 
wonderful things that happened at this famous banquet 
given on the occasion. I wonder if you know the name 
of this corner of Wonderland and of the little girl, and 
if you know of the other curious and curioser adventure? 
which she had? 

At another time they were conducted by the Wonder 
Shoes to a land of little men, and saw all the wonderful 
things that happened to a traveler from England who 
was visiting there at the same time. In this land the 
people were about as big as an ordinary man’s little 
finger, their loaves of bread about as big as shot. One 
of their barrels held about half a pint, their ships of war 
were about nine feet long, and the man mountain, as 
they called their visitor from England, could hold sev¬ 
eral of the people in one hand. Once he held a review 
of all the troops of that country on a space as big as 
his pocket handkerchief. It would take me too long to 
tell you of the wonderful things the children saw there, 
or how the visitor got away from the country, but I think 
some of your friends can tell you how you can find out 
all about this, as well as about the other land where the 
men were as high as a church steeple with voices louder 
than megaphones, where the cats were three times as 
large as oxen, the rats as big as great mastiffs, and the 
bees as big as partridges. The maps were a hundred 
feet square and the books twenty-five feet high. 


84 


AT MOTHER^ KNEE 


The twins saw all these wonderful things and many 
more, and they saw also the way in which the traveler 
with whom they went through this country, escaped 
therefrom. The Wonder Shoes guided the feet of the 
twins safely through both of these wonderful countries, 
and brought them always safely back home. 

Once in their wanderings the twins came across a man 
who was possessed of a pair of shoes almost as wonder¬ 
ful as their own. He, poor man, had been tricked out 
of his shadow by an evil spirit. You can have no idea 
of how very awkward it is to have no shadow. Every 
one suspected this poor man of all sorts of horrid things, 
because he had no shadow. One day the twins saw him 
go into a market place to buy a pair of shoes. All the 
new ones were too dear for this poor man, who had not 
only lost his shadow but nearly all his money as well. 
So he went to a second-hand store which was kept by a 
beautiful fair-haired youth, who was really a good fairy 
in disguise. There he bought a strong and sound pair 
of boots, and in them he set out to wander over the face 
of the earth. 

Soon he found that he had on the wonderful Seven- 
Leagued Boots, one of the same kind as the Ogre wore, 
about which you read in another chapter. Now these 
boots were in some ways as wonderful as those Shoes 
of Swiftness of which you have heard, but they had not 
all the power of the little Wonder Shoes. For the twins 
were able to follow the Seven-Leagued Boots to the 
frozen North, and from thenee to the rice fields of China. 
They followed them across Asia to Africa, among all 
the wonderful ruins of Egypt; thence into Europe to the 
North Pole, and across Greenland to America. They 
watched them as they sped on through North and South 
America to Cape Horn and back again. They saw them 
across the Behring Straits into Asia, from whence the 
shadowless man strode in the Seven-Leagued Boots to 
Sumatra and Java to Borneo. 

They do say that the shadowless man is still striding 
about the world in the Seven-Leagued Boots. If it be 
so, only the wearers of Wonder Shoes can see him. But 


AMONG THE FAIRIES AND THE GIANTS 


85 


however that may be, it can do no harm if you try to 
look out the places on the map and get an idea for your¬ 
selves just where he did go and how far he did travel. 
I am rather disposed to think that we can beat the Seven- 
Leagued Boots with our railroads and steamships, but 
I am certain that there is nothing that can take us so 
fast and so far as the Wonder Shoes took the twins. 

I think Carlo enjoyed the wanderings they had with 
the Seven Champions of Christendom even more than his 
sister. The death of the fiery dragon was a terrible 
sight, but she was delighted with the release of the Prin¬ 
cess who had been changed into a mulberry tree, and 
they never forgot the deeds that were done by that fa¬ 
mous sword which was chained to the rock. On it was 
written, “He that can lift me up shall conquer all,” and 
when they grew older they always called it by the name 
“ Excalibur ,’ 9 because that was the name of another fa¬ 
mous sword, or perhaps it really was the same about 
which the poet Tennyson wrote. 

Through the land of the Amazons they wandered with 
one of the champions and through Persia with the other 
six, but I can not stop to tell you all they saw there. 
They were both delighted when the castle of the wicked 
knight, who was protected by the magicians, was de¬ 
stroyed. They saw the champion ride up to the gate and 
heard him read aloud what was written there. It was: 

“Who sounds this trumpet shortly will behold 
The drawbridge fall and yonder doors unfold; 

Yet if you entering here, you must take heed 
Lest, for presuming it, you chance to bleed.” 

They heard him blow the trumpet and saw the draw¬ 
bridge fall. They saw the fight in the castle and all the 
horrors inside, as well as the flight of the dragon. They 
followed the champion into the ball of the seven lamps, 
where was written, “While seven lamps burn day and 
night in this hall, no power can end the enchantment.” 
They saw the lamps put out, the castle crumble into 
ruins and the Seven Champions re-united after all their 


8G 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


wanderings and wonderful escapes. I wonder if you 
know the names of these champions. 

Perhaps one of the most wonderful travels in all the 
wanderings which the Wonder Shoes led the twins was 
when they followed some pilgrims all the way from one 
world to another. I cannot stop to tell you of the jour- 
neyings of these pilgrims, hut I must tell you of the Giant 
and his castle and what happened there, because this was 
one of the things which the children never forgot. 

Two of these pilgrims once after a long journey found 
a little shelter, and being weary they fell asleep. The 
owner of the grounds in which they lay was a cruel Giant 
and the twins saw him get up in the morning early and 
walk up and down in his fields. They saw him catch the 
pilgrims asleep. They heard him, in a grim and surly 
voice, bid them awake and ask them who they were and 
what they did in his grounds. They saw the Giant drive 
the pilgrims before him and put them into a very dark 
dungeon, where they lay from Wednesday morning until 
Saturday night without one bit of bread or drop of drink, 
or any light or any one to ask how they did. They saw 
the cruel Giant go down to the dungeon and fall upon 
the pilgrims and beat them so that they were not able 
to help themselves or to turn them about on the floor. 

They heard the Giant tell the poor pilgrims to make 
an end of themselves, for if they did not he would surely 
kill them. Then they saw the Giant go to them and take 
them to his castle yard and show them the bones and 
skulls of the poor people he had already murdered, and 
heard the Giant say, ‘ 4 These were pilgrims as you are, 
once, and they trespassed on my grounds, as you have 
done, and when I thought fit I tore them in pieces, and 
so within ten days I will do you. Go get you down to 
your den again. ,, They saw the Giant beat the pilgrims 
again all the way back. But what was their joy when 
they saw that one of the pilgrims remembered that he 
had a master key in his pocket which he had forgotten, 
but he no sooner thought of it than he began to try at 
the dungeon door, whose bolt gave back and the door 
flew open with ease. They saw them open the outward 


AMONG THE FAIRIES AND THE GIANTS 87 

door that leads into the castle yard, and with much pains 
the great iron gate also. They heard the creaking of 
the gate which wakened the Giant who, hastily rising to 
pursue his prisoners, felt his limbs to fail, and they saw 
him fall into a tit so that he could by no means go after 
them, and to the great joy of the twins the pilgrims es¬ 
caped his clutches. 

It was quite another sort of pilgrim that they followed 
when they first saw the giant with the long name who had 
one eye in the middle of his forehead. The Wonder 
Shoes and their friends had transported the twins to a 
far off land in a far off time. I think I told you that 
time and distance were nothing to these marvelous 
shoes. They had been to that land where the lotus 
grows, a wondrous fruit of which whosoever eats cares 
not to see country or wife or children again. But, un¬ 
like some of the pilgrims they followed, the twins did 
not eat of this fruit. They saw these travelers come 
to a land where there was a great hill sloping to the 
shore. There rose up smoke from the caves where a 
rude and savage folk dwelt apart, ruling each his own 
household and not caring for others. 

They saw the chief pilgrim and twelve of his bravest 
men go on shore and enter into a cave bearing a mighty 
skin of wine sweet smelling and strong. The cave was 
full of sheep and goats, and of full milk pails and fast 
ripening cheeses. Presently they saw a monstrous giant, 
twenty feet in height or more, come to the cave bearing 
a vast bundle of pine logs for his fire, which he threw 
down with a crash. They saw him close his cave with a 
huge rock which twenty wagons would not bear. How 
they got into the cave with the pilgrims and the giant 
without being discovered, I do not know, but I suppose 
it was the Wonder Shoes and their twenty-six friends 
which did it. There they heard the talk of the giant and 
the pilgrims and they saw the one-eyed monster catch 
up two of the pilgrims, dash them on the ground and tear 
them limb from limb, devouring them, and leaving not a 
morsel, not even the bones. They saw also how the 
pilgrims got free from the giant’s cave. The chief of 


88 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


the pilgrims gave him of his sweet wine to drink. He 
found it good and drank of it three times. Then they 
heard the chief pilgrim say ‘ 4 Thou didst ask my name O 
Giant. Lo, my name is No-man.’ ’ They heard the giant 
promise that he should be the last of the band to be eaten 
and then they saw the monster fall asleep. But they 
never expected what followed. The chief pilgrim took a 
stake which he had sharpened from the tire where he had 
put it in readiness and no sooner was the giant asleep 
than with it he put out his only eye. The monster roared 
with the pain but when his neighbors came and asked 
what ailed him he replied, “No man slays me by a trick.’’ 

Then they said, “If no man does thee wrong, we can¬ 
not help thee , 9 9 and they went away. Then they saw the 
pilgrims tie each other one by one under the bellies of 
the big rams which had come in the cave with the other 
sheep. 

And in the morning they saw the rams go out of the 
cave each bearing a man beneath him, and so the pilgrims 
all of them escaped, except those whom the monster had 
eaten. They saw the pilgrims go on board their ship 
with the sheep they had taken from the giant. And they 
saw how the monster broke off mighty rocks from the 
hillside and hurled them into the sea to crush the pil¬ 
grims ’ boat. They heard the pilgrims mocking the giant 
and heard the giant cursing the pilgrims. They went 
with these pilgrims in all their wanderings and only left 
them when the chief of them returned to his home and 
to his wife and his family. I cannot stop to tell you 
how his faithful old dog knew him again when his wife 
and servants did not, and of all the wonderful things 
that befell him in his wanderings. The twins never tired 
of wandering in this part of Wonderland, and they often 
returned to it when they grew older. 

They saw many other wonderful things in this coun¬ 
try. They saw the fairy who conferred on the king the 
Golden Touch, and they saw how the Golden Touch was 
washed away, and they learned that there were many 
things on earth better than gold. 

They saw the opening of that fairy box which con- 


AMONG THE FAIRIES AND THE GIANTS 


89 


tained the whole family of Earthly Troubles—the Evil 
Passions, the Cares, the Diseases and Naughtinesses, and 
all the sad results which it brought about. And they 
learned something of the harm that disobedience may do 
—for the owners of that box had been told not to open 
it. Then they saw how there was after all a good fairy 
at the bottom of the box who did and does so much to 
lessen the evils which the rest of its occupants caused 
in the world and are still causing today. 

It was about this time too that they met the giant who 
did the twelve greatest deeds that man ever did. If you 
do not know who he was and what he did I am sure you 
know some one who can tell you about him and how he 
tricked the giant who bore the world on his shoulders and 
got away with the three golden apples. 

Now all these things took place in the southern, or 
perhaps I ought to say the middle part of the globe. But 
the twins wandered north as well and many were the 
marvelous things they saw and heard in the land of 
snow and ice. 

This land of snow and ice is a very strange land. One 
half of the year it is always light, for the sun never goes 
down in the Rummer time, which lasts just six months. 
The other six months it is always night; the sun does 
not shine, but the moon and the stars are wonderfully 
bright. And then there is another strange thing—when 
the sun is gone the sky is often filled with lights of many 
beautiful colors. Red, yellow, orange, green, blue and 
violet streamers flash up out of the northern sky and 
reach almost overhead. They dance and quiver and 
grow brighter and less bright by turns. Sometimes they 
form a glorious arch in the sky. 

In this land once lived the gods who have given their 
names to two or three days of the week. If you do not 
know how this came about, I am sure if you keep on ask¬ 
ing you will find some one who can tell you. They saw 
the forging of that wonderful hammer which when it was 
thrown far out against the clouds caused the thunder to 
roll, the clouds to fill with blackness and the lightning 
to flash as it returned humming through the air to the 


90 


AT MOTHER^ KNEE 


hands of him who threw it. They saw the terrible strug¬ 
gles which the frost giants had with those who brought 
warmth and fragrance and flowers to the earth. And 
they saw all that happened when that wonderful hammer 
was lost and found. More wonderful still was the los¬ 
ing and finding of the apples of life in this country of 
ice and snow. The twins saw the evil disposed one slide 
down the rainbow bridge and saw him borne away 
through the air by that wonderful bird. They saw him 
made prisoner by the great Frost Giant and all the sad 
things that happened after the golden apples were gone. 
How the apples were restored and the joy and happiness 
that reigned thereafter you can learn from others who 
have been to the Northland and have seen and heard all 
the wonderful things that the twins sav/ and heard there. 
For as I have still more to tell you of their wanderings 
—this time in quite another land—I cannot stay to tell 
you more. 

But I must not forget to tell you that although they 
hardly knew it at the time, the twins carried away many 
good gifts from their visits to the land of the Giants and 
the Fairies. One of them was a gift of courage, of dar¬ 
ing to do right, and then they made the acquaintance of 
famous and noble personages, friends who lasted through 
their lives. These heroes and princes they met and the 
adventures through which they went in their visit to 
Wonderland gave them a wealthy imagination which en¬ 
abled them to have sympathy with their fellow men, gave 
them a love of truth and purity of sentiment, soundness 
of judgment and right direction and control of the will. 
Another gift was a love of justice and mercy and a be¬ 
lief in a power which in the end sets all things right. 
Not the least important of the gifts that these wander¬ 
ings imparted to them was the power of understanding 
the books they read in later life; for nearly all the people 
who write books have been and are wanderers in Won¬ 
derland, and they often talk about the very things that 
Lottie and Carlo saw and heard. And very pleasant it 
was to them to meet in books some thing about their old 
friends in Wonderland. Indeed those children who are 


SOME ANIMALS THEY MET 


91 


not so fortunate as the twins were are much to be pitied, 
for they can generally only understand about half that 
they read. 

Of course, they did not know all this at the time, but 
now they can look back with wiser eyes on all the good 
the Wonder Shoes brought them and these are some of 
the things they now tell me they brought back with them 
from these visits to Wonderland. 

SOME ANIMALS THEY MET. 

You remember that the twins were much delighted 
with their visit to Mother Goose’s Zo-o-lo-gi-cal Gardens, 
and you have not forgotten the curious creatures they 
met there. In the course of their wanderings in the 
Wonder Shoes, which still grew bigger and bigger as they 
grew older, they came across many famous and interest¬ 
ing animals, and in this chapter I will tell you, as the 
title of it promises, about some animals they met. And 
I think that, so as to make this chapter more complete, 
I had better go back a little and tell you of the first ani¬ 
mals they met in Fable Land. Now they wandered into 
this country very soon after their journeys into the land 
of Mother Goose were finished. 

There are some people who say that the animals in 
Fable Land belong to Mother Goose’s Zo-o-lo-gi-cal Gar¬ 
dens, but that is not true, for Fable Land is I think a 
much older country even that Mother Goose Land. 

Now in this Fable Land there was a meaning in every 
thing that the animals did and said, for there the beasts 
used to talk as much as men do, but I shall not tell you 
the meanings. The twins found them out for themselves 
and so must you, for 

I do not write for that dull elf 
Who cannot picture for himself 
The meaning of my tale. 

When the twins saw one day in their wanderings a 
crow with a piece of cheese in its beak and a fox follow¬ 
ing the crow, they crept nearer and heard the fox say: 

Vol. i—6 


92 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


“Good day, Mistress Crow. How your feathers shine, 
and how bright your eyes are! Won’t you let me hear 
you sing? I am sure you have a lovely voice/’ 

Of course the crow, who has a very ugly voice but 
does not know how ugly it is, opened her beak and began 
to “caw,” and Master Fox snapped up the cheese which 
fell to the ground and ran off with it. At which the 
twins laughed heartily. 

Another time they saw a mouse gnawing at a net in 
which a big, big lion had been caught, and the little mouse 
gnawed and gnawed until the lion got free. I wonder 
if you know why the mouse did this. 

Another time there was a terrific roaring in the forest 
and the twins coming near to where it was saw a lion 
and a tiger fighting over a dead deer. They fought until 
they could fight no more. When they were in that help¬ 
less state a fox who had been watching them came up and 
ran off with the young deer. And again the twins 
laughed heartily. 

As they were wandering by the banks of a river one 
day they saw a dog come along with a large piece of 
meat in his mouth. He was crossing over the bridge 
when he saw his shadow in the water. Thinking he saw 
another piece of meat there, he dropped his own piece 
and jumped in after the other. The children laughed 
heartily at this too. But they grieved much over the 
fate of a lamb who was drinking from the same stream 
a little higher up, for a hungry wolf came along and 
said: 

“What do you mean by muddling the water I am go¬ 
ing to drink?” 

And the lamb replied, “How can I do so? The water 
runs from you to me.” 

“Never mind that,” said the wolf. “You spoke ill of 
me behind my back a year ago.” 

“That could not be for I was not born then,” replied 
the lamb. 

“It was your brother then,” growled the wolf. 

“That cannot be,” bleated the lamb, “for I never had 
any brothers.” 


SOME ANIMALS THEY MET 


93 


“Well, it was one of your family,” snapped out the 
wolf, and forthwith he fell upon the poor lamb and ate 
it all up. 

Once the twins paid a visit to a house in this strange 
country, where they met two mice—one belonged to the 
town and the other to the country. The town mouse was 
telling his friend how much better he lived there than in 
the country; instead of corn and wheat he had beans and 
meal and dates and honey. And as they were having 
a feast of all the good things, a man opened the door and 
the mice had to hide themselves in a crack in the floor. 
When he was gone they began feasting again, and then 
the maid came in and scared them away once more. 
Last of all, when the cat came and they had to hide from 
her, they heard the field mouse say, ‘ 4 With all the good 
things you have, you are always in fear of your life. I, 
though I have only corn and wheat, would rather live at 
home in fear of no one.” 

Speaking of mice reminds me that once the twins had 
the good fortune to be present at a great council of rats 
and mice. They had come together to consider what 
they could do to warn themselves of the coming of the 
cat. “For the cat moves so quietly,” said one of them, 
“that we never hear his footsteps and we only know he 
is there when he pounces upon us, and then it is too 
late.” 

Then a rat got up in the council and said that the best 
way was to buy a bell of brass or of bright silver and 
hang it on the cat’s neck, so that they could hear when 
the cat was coming. To this they all agreed, thinking it 
was a good plan until one of them—a wise old mouse— 
arose and said, “But which of you will fasten the bell 
around the cat’s neck?” 

At this the twins laughed heartily, and the council of 
rats and mice broke up in confusion. 

The twins were present once at a sad, sad scene. It 
was among the mountains where there are many fierce 
wolves. One of them came into a house and tried to 
devour a baby who lay asleep in a cradle. But the good 
old house dog was watching by its side and he furiously 


94 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


attacked the wolf and punished it so that it was glad to 
escape with its life. In the scuffle the cradle was over¬ 
turned and the hound himself was all bloody and torn, 
and the floor and walls were spattered with blood. The 
father came home and seeing the state of affairs sup¬ 
posed that the faithful hound had killed his child. In 
his rage and grief he drew his sword and slew the dog. 
When they came to clear up the room and to set up the 
cradle again, they found the babe asleep and unharmed. 
I think the twins were as much grieved as the poor man 
was when he found that he had slain his best friend, the 
faithful hound, in mistake. 

It is not often that you can see a man and a lion living 
together like good friends, but in the course of their 
wanderings the twins came across just such a couple. 
And the man told them how he was once a slave and had 
run away from his master and hidden himself in a cave 
where there was a lion wounded by a big thorn in one of 
his paws. The man took out the thorn, and the lion 
went away doing the man no harm. But the soldiers 
found the poor slave and put him into prison. One day 
he was taken from the prison and in front of thousands 
of cruel people was put into a ring like a circus ring 
and a lion, which had been kept many days without food, 
was let loose upon him. 

Instead of springing upon the man and tearing him 
to pieces and devouring him, the great beast came and 
licked his hand and showed by every means in his power 
that he was pleased to see him. For it was the very 
same lion whose wounded foot the slave had cured. 
When the people saw this and the slave had explained 
to them why the lion did not kill him, the people shouted, 
“Let him go free!” and he and the lion both went out 
together and lived together always afterwards. And I 
think when the twins heard the story of the slave they 
understood why the mouse set the lion free by gnawing 
at the net in which he was a prisoner. Do you? 

The twins were wandering in Beast Land one day when 
the Wonder Shoes guided them into a Court House where 
a trial of some criminal was going on. Now this Court 


SOME ANIMALS THEY MET 


95 


House was not like those which we have. The court was 
held in an open valley with high hills covered with trees 
all around and open to the sky. But for the Wonder 
Shoes I am sure they would never have seen such a won¬ 
derful sight. Here were all the beasts of the forest sit- 
ting around in a circle and the lion, the King of Beasts, 
occupied a position which showed that he was the judge. 
In the middle of the circle, to the great surprise of the 
twins, was a boy about their own age looking so fright¬ 
ened that he seemed as if ready to sink into his shoes. 
The lion, looking around, said, "Well, what have you 
against this boy?” 

"He stones and drowns dogs! He hunts and kills 
cats!” cried all the animals. 

"No, the dog Rough kills the cats,” said the boy, find¬ 
ing his tongue at last, and hoping to excuse himself. 

"Very well,” said the judge, "we will send for Mr. 
Rough.” 

Presently in comes trotting Mr. Rough. 

"Mr. Rough,.” said the lion, "this boy says it is you 
and not he who kills the cats and dogs.” 

4 4 Bow-wow-wow , 9 9 cried Mr. Rough. 4 4 Am I to blame ? 
Who taught me to do it? That bad boy there. Bow¬ 
wow. 9 9 

Then Mr. Rough told all he knew, how that the boy had 
taught him to be cruel when the dog was little and knew 
no better. 

The lion and all the beasts then talked over the matter 
together and decided that the boy should be punished. 

44 Gentle Beasts, Birds and Fishes,” said the lion, 
44 you have all heard what this boy has done. He ought 
to be treated as he has treated us. But we should not 
be cruel because he has been cruel, yet he must be pun¬ 
ished. So we will tie an old tin can to him and chase 
him from Beast Land, and Mr. Rough shall be our 
leader.” 

So when everything was ready the lion gave a great 
roar and the boy, frightened for his life, started to run. 
He was chased out of Beast Land with the old tin can tied 
to him and the dog and all the other animals at his heels. 


96 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


And th« twins thought he was justly punished. So do I. 
What do you think? 

But the twins were present at a still more famous trial 
than this. It was at that time of the year when every 
tree is clothed in the green and white livery of glorious 
leaves and sweet smelling blossoms, and the earth is 
covered with her fairest mantle of flowers, and when the 
birds with much joy make the air sweet with their song, 
The Lion, the Royal King of Beasts, had commanded all 
the beasts to his court. The twins arrived just in time 
to see them, great and small, come in infinite multitudes 
—all except Reynard the Fox who knew himself to be 
guilty of so many crimes that he dared not show himself. 

When the court was assembled nearly all the beasts 
had some complaint against the Fox. First the Wolf 
told how the Fox had assaulted his wife and blinded his 
children. Then the Dog complained how the Fox had 
stolen his only meal in the cold season of the winter when 
the frost was most severe. The Panther then said, “The 
whole world knows the Fox is a murderer, a vagabond 
and a thief,’’ and went on to tell how the Fox pretended 
to teach the Hare to say his prayers and while he was 
repeating them after the Fox the artful beast seized him 
by the throat and slew him. 

Then the Badger arose and said, “Wolf, you are mali¬ 
cious and malice never spake well. You have many 
times bitten and torn my kinsman with your teeth. You 
once cheated him out of a fine fish and out of a fat flitch 
of bacon. How then can you complain of him? As to 
the Hare, he would not learn and so the Fox had to 
punish him. And as to his stealing the food of the Dog, 
the Dog had first stolen it from the Cat, and it is fit that 
be evil lost which was evil won. Who can blame the 
Fox for taking stolen goods from a thief?” As lie was 
explaining how the Fox had repented of his evil ways, 
had given up hunting, had given his wealth to the poor 
and was living only on the charity of others, Chanticleer, 
the Cock, came bringing upon a bier the body of a hen 
whose head the Fox had bitten off. With him was his 
sorrowing family, and the Cock, kneeling before the 


AND LAST 


97 


King, made his complaint, telling how the Fox had come 
in the likeness of a good hermit and holy friar with a 
letter sealed with the King’s seal, ordering that no beast 
should do harm to the other, which order he was sworn 
to obey. He told how, deceived by this, he trusted his 
family far afield, where the crafty Fox lying in wait had 
killed them one by one. 

Then they heard the King give orders to the Bear to 
go and summon the Fox to court so that he should be 
tried for his offences. This trial lasted for a long time 
and I have not time to tell you all that the twins saw 
and heard. They stayed on until the end and saw how 
the Fox was tried and sentenced to death; how by his 
wit he cheated the hangman and how he was afterwards 
received into the King’s family. This famous trial was 
duly recorded, as all famous trials are, and when people 
first began to print books in England nearly five hundred 
years ago, the account of this trial was done into a book. 
And as this is one of the most famous trials in the whole 
history of Beast Land, you must one day get the hook and 
read all about it for yourself. 

And there were many other animals they met, and 
learned much from them, hut they were so much inter- 
ested in all they saw and heard in the strange places to 
which the Wonder Shoes guided them that they never 
knew they were learning anything and they did not real¬ 
ize until afterwards what good gifts they brought hack 
from their journeyings. One of the gifts was that of 
kindness to all living creatures and love and affection 
for them, for they are the little brethren of all mankind. 
Another gift was a gift of sympathy which made them 
kind, not only to animals, but to other boys and girls, 
and as they grew up they had a gift of understanding 
some of the secrets of Nature which less fortunate chil¬ 
dren never possess. 

AND LAST. 

Now these Wonder Shoes still grew bigger and bigger, 
as the children grew older. They kept their white 
brightness so that they were still like a lamp to their 


98 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


feet and a light to their path. By means of them and 
their twenty-six friends they were able to go to school 
and college with famous men and women of all times 
and all countries, to see how they did, what troubles they 
went through, what pleasures they had and what lessons 
they learned. 

They were able to follow the great adventurers and 
explorers. They penetrated with them into unknown 
lands and sailed with them into unknown seas. They 
were able to witness many of the greatest deeds of brav¬ 
ery and heroism that were ever done in the world. They 
went around the globe with the famous travellers. They 
made friends with the wise men of all ages and learned 
from them many of the secrets and the wonders of earth, 
sea and sky. 

They saw all the great scenes in history and witnessed 
most of the famous battles that took place on sea and 
on land. 

The Wonder Shoes and their twenty-six friends guided 
them also into the land of Story and of Song, and intro¬ 
duced them to the great men of all ages, and best of all 
they guided their feet into that land from whence they 
brought the great good gift which should enable you all 
to “Do unto others as you would they should do unto 
you.” I wonder if you know what land I mean? 


THE MOUSE AND THE PADDOCK. 


O NE lovely autumn morning Dame Mouse looked 
about her critically at the meadow where she had 
lived all summer. The fields were beginning to 
look brown and bare, and she sighed a little. 

i ‘Decidedly, it is time for me to move away from here,” 
she reflected sadly. She hated to move, for she had built 
a comfortable home at the root of a hazel bush, but, as 
she realized, there was not food enough in the neighbor¬ 
hood to last her through the winter. 

Not very far away from her there was a beautiful 
field where corn and wheat and beans had been grown all 
summer. A weasel who lived near her told a friend of 
hers about it, and Dame Mouse, when it was repeated to 
her, thought that the place was just the one she had been 
looking for. Accordingly, she waited only just long 
enough to clear up the supplies in her larder, and started 
out. 

On and on she traveled, till at last she came to a little 
hill, from which she could look out to the field of which 
she had heard. It was everything that she had been told. 
She scampered about gleefully at the thought of the good 
time she would have. She could see herself eating and 
drinking to her heart’s content, and the thought made her 
hurry on with renewed vigor. 

But all at once her hopes were crushed. Right across 
her path ran a stream, not very large, as children would 
think, but much too wide and deep for Dame Mouse to 
cross unaided. And just on the other side the plenty of 
which she had been told began. She sat down on the 
bank and began to cry, so desperately disappointed was 
she. 

She had not been there very long when a big, ugly old 
toad put his head out of the water, and inspected her with 
a wicked, half-shut eye. Paddock was his name, and he 
was very proud of his reputation for helping the witches 

99 


100 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


in their charms. Not that he himself had done anything, 
you must understand, but one of his cousins had, and that 
was enough to satisfy him. 

“Why are you crying, Dame Mouse!” he inquired as 
politely as he could, though his hoarse voice was any¬ 
thing but reassuring. “Is there anything I can do to 
help !’ ’ 

“I do so want to cross this stream,’’ sobbed the mouse, 
“only I can see no way to do it. Do you know whether 
there is a boat anywhere ! 9 9 

“What do you want with a boat!” Paddock snorted. 
‘ ‘ The way is to swim or wade. Easy enough, if you try . 9 9 

“But I cannot wade,” objected the mouse, “my shanks 
are too short. I should only drown, because I do not 
know how to swim.” 

Paddock put his head on one side and looked at her 
cunningly. Dame Mouse was frightened, though she 
could not tell why. 

“I suppose,” she began hopefully, “there must be 
some one—” 

“Only myself,” Paddock told her, “but if you wish, I 
can help you over the stream.” 

“How is that!” asked Dame Mouse uneasily. 

Paddock grinned, and stuck out his tongue at her in a 
rude smile. “Oh, it’s quite simple,” he told her. “You 
just let me tie your leg to mine, and I will swim over with 
you . 9 9 

“But what if you should lose me in the middle of the 
stream!” the mouse objected, frightened. “Just think, 
if the string should break ! 9 9 

“Oh, no danger about that,” Paddock insisted. “Don’t 
keep me talking about it all day, though, or I won’t do it 
for you at all.” 

Now the mouse was very anxious to get across, and the 
toad’s threat not to carry her had its effect. She has¬ 
tened to say that she would accept his offer, though in 
truth she was very much afraid of the hideous old fellow, 
and he knew it quite well. But she hunted about till she 
found a strong piece of grass, and together she and Pad- 
dock tied it in a knot around their two legs, so hard that 














AN ORIENTAL BAZAAR 

FROM A PHOTOGRAPH 


Life in the Orient is strangely different from our own in detail 
and yet wonderfully alike in principle. It is really climate that 
makes the very small differences. In colder lands business 
must be done indoors. In the lands of heat and sunshine, bus¬ 
iness is done out-of-doors, as we see in the picture. There 
people have plenty of time to bargain—they take life easily and 
spend hours in shopping which would be done in one quarter 
of the time in a colder country. 



THE MOUSE AND THE PADDOCK 


103 


th© mous© wondered whether she could ©v©r untie it again. 
Then they plunged into the water. 

“Perfectly easy, you see,” said the toad, intending to 
make the mouse feel more comfortable. “We shall soon 
get across/’ 

“Y-y-yes,” stammered the mouse, shivering with the 
cold of the water. “Please don’t drop me in the middle, 
though!” 

And just as she said that, they reached the middle, and 
the wicked old toad dived, as he had meant to do all along. 
Dame Mouse squeaked with all her might, and struggled 
her very best to break the string. It was much too strong 
for that, but she managed to drag herself to the top of 
the water. 

“You wicked beast!” she cried, “why do you want to 
kill a poor, helpless creature like me I” 

But Paddock only grinned and dragged her down again. 
She struggled harder than ever, for she felt her strength 
going from her, and once more reached the surface of the 
water. 

Now, as it happened, an eagle sailing overhead heard 
the mouse begging to be saved, and dropped down to 
watch and see wdiat was happening. He caught sight of 
the two as Paddock dived the second time, and he thought, 
“This is my chance.” 

Once more Dame Mouse came to the surface, gasping 
and crying, and nearly dead. 

“Oh, Paddock, Paddock,” she cried, “you have done 
a wicked thing in trying to kill me this way. Some time 
it will be your turn to beg for help in vain!” 

As Paddock opened his mouth to reply, the eagle 
swooped, caught the pair of them by the string which tied 
them together, and carried them off to his nest, where he 
proceeded to eat them at his leisure. He chuckled to him¬ 
self as he swallowed the toad. 

“Well,” he remarked, as he finished his mouthful, 
“that toad died just as the mouse said he would, any¬ 
way. ’ ’ 


104 


AT MOTHER'S KNEE 


THE WILLOW PLATE. 

I T was an old, blue-and-white plate that stood on the 
mantel, where the children could see it every night as 
they were eating their suppers by the fire. Over their 
bread and milk they used to wonder about it, and once, 
when nobody was looking, Bobby climbed up on the chair 
to see what the pictures were like. 

And very wonderful he found it. For there was a 
house, and a bridge and a weeping willow tree, and a pair 
of birds flying lovingly away at one edge, all a soft blue. 
What it all meant, Bobby could not quite make out. He 
determined to ask about it, if he could only remember it 
long enough. 

His mother was ready to tell him all she knew. The 
plate was one that her great-uncle had brought with him 
from Canton, after a voyage in which he had been gone 
from home for more than a year. It was very valuable, 
she said, but she did not know what it all meant. 

But one day Bobby heard the story. He was eating his 
supper one night when an old friend of his mother’s 
dropped in to see the children. She found them staring 
at the plate, and, without wasting a moment in useless 
questions, began on the story. It went something like 
this: 

Once, many hundreds of years ago, there lived in China 
a pair of young people who loved each other very dearly. 
He was the son of a poor scholar, and she was the daugh¬ 
ter of a wealthy mandarin, so they had no right to care 
for each other; and indeed, by the custom of their country 
he should never have seen her at all, for she was supposed 
to live shut up in the garden of her father’s house until 
the time for her to be taken to be married. But once, 
peeping through the crack in the wall in a distant corner, 
she caught sight of him, and so charmed was she by his 
face that she ventured to call to him. When he saw her, he 
was very much startled, but he came to her eagerly. 


THE WILLOW PLATE 


105 


After that they used to talk together often by the 
garden-wall, and soon they had confessed their love for 
each other. They told nobody of this, for they knew that 
if they did their parents would be very angry, and they 
dared not risk that. So they waited, hoping that in time 
they might find some way to marry. 

But one day there came a dreadful piece of news to the 
poor little girl. Her mother came into her room one day, 
and told her that on the first day of the next month the 
bridegroom who had been chosen for her would come to 
claim her. He was a very fine man, the mother said, and 
he had made a handsome offer for her. His presents to 
the bride had already been sent, and would reach her in 
a very short time. 

You can guess how sad the little bride felt. She did 
not wish to be married to a man whom she had never seen, 
and she cried herself to sleep that night. The next day 
she went to the meeting place to wait for her lover and 
tell him what had happened. 

Together they planned and planned, but each sugges¬ 
tion was more impossible than the last. Finally the 
young man said: 

“ There is only one way. We must run from home as 
soon as we can, and live in some far distant land.” After 
much discussion they came to the conclusion that they 
would go on the following night, and that they would 
make their way across the bridge that led the way out of 
the garden. 

The next day the little bride tried her best to be very 
obedient and well-behaved. She sewed most industri¬ 
ously, was polite and obliging, and altogether made her 
mother very happy. When nobody was looking, she gath¬ 
ered all her jewels into a little bundle, and hid it in her 
dress. When it grew dusk, she put on a dark robe, and 
slipped out to meet her lover. 

But someone must have overheard their plan, for her 
father came into his wife’s rooms soon after she had left, 
and asked where the girl was and what she was doing. 
Then he bade his wife send for her. You can guess how 
angry he was when she could not be found. 


106 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


Then he turned to his wife, and told her all that he had 
heard, and together they set out to find out what had 
become of their daughter. The first place they thought 
of was the garden. They rushed out, searched all the 
corners—but nobody was there. They looked about on 
all sides, but they could see nobody. Then they thought 
of the bridge. And lo! on the farther end of it they saw 
the girl and her lover running away as fast as they could 
go. 

With a shout of anger the father was after them. He 
was a powerful man, and he came nearer and nearer. 
There was no hope for them. Then the lovers began to 
pray, as hard as they could, hoping that some one of the 
gods would hear and befriend them. They had crossed 
the bridge, and the old man after them. 

“Do not let us be separated!” cried the little bride. 

And the gods heard her prayer. For suddenly she 
and the young man felt themselves growing smaller and 
smaller, and lighter and lighter, until they were changed 
into birds, and floated in the sky safe from danger. They 
looked down, and there, his arms stretched out toward 
them, they saw the girl’s father. But he could not move, 
for he was being slowly changed, changed, until he too 
was no longer human. He had become a willow-tree, to 
grow beside the river forever afterward. 


THE CASTLE BY THE POOL. 

I T was a lovely little pool, deep in a forest, with tall 
pines on three sides of it, and on the fourth a small 
open space, where wild flowers grew, and where the 
deer could come down to the pool to drink. The pool itself 
was partly natural, and partly made of hewn rocks, that 
held it at one end, except a single corner where the water 
slipped over a low place and fell down into the brook that 
ran down the valley. 

There were two children who made this one of their 
favorite haunts, and who considered it their own prop¬ 
erty. Often they did nothing but wade in the pool, or sit 


THE CASTLE BY THE POOL 107 

and tell stories on its banks; but one day they had a bril¬ 
liant idea. 

“Let’s build a castle,” suggested the girl, who was the 
older. “We can put it opposite the stone, and we’ll have 
a drawbridge, with guards and portcullises, and all that.” 

“All right,” her brother answered. “I’ll cut some 
pine branches to build it with, while you clear away those 
dead sticks.” 

They set to work with a will, and soon a little lean-to 
faced the water, and they were cuddled together inside. 
It was a very tight fit, and they dared not move for fear 
lest it should come down over their heads, so they sat 
quite still. 

“We can feel very safe here,” began Marion, “the 
castle walls are so thick that it would not be possible for 
any one to get in without our knowing. ’ ’ 

“Besides,” Dick added, “he would have to cross the 
moat first, and get somebody to let him in by the port¬ 
cullis. How many guards did you station there?” 

“Three,” Marion replied, “and a sentry at each of the 
loop-holes, so that nobody could surprise us.” 

‘ ‘ Did you give them enough ammunition ? ’ ’ 

Marion reflected. “Yes, they had fifteen rounds each. 
But you know, we are getting low on ammunition. I 
really think you will have to send to the city for some.” 

“I have,” Dick replied. “Four men left at daylight 
today. I hope they will return tonight. The Macdou- 
galls might attack us any time.” 

“Who are they?” asked Marion, forgetting that she 
was supposed to know all about these things. 

“Our enemies, of course,” Dick told her. “You were 
the youngest daughter of the family, you know, and father 
captured you when you were a baby, and brought you up 
to marry me when the time came. You don’t know that 
you aren’t a relation of ours, or you would try to get 
away. Now let’s go on.” 

“Do you suppose that the Macdougalls will attack us? 
It would be a good time to do so. ’ ’ 

“I’m afraid they will. Yesterday evening Jack de¬ 
serted, and I think he went to tell them how low we were 


108 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


in ammunition, and that I was going to send some men 
away today.’ ’ 

4 ‘ Hark! What ’s that ?’’ 

“ A shot in the forest! They are coming! Can I trust 
you to hold the bridge while I make the rounds of the 
walls ?” 

“Yes, messire! (Is that what I’m supposed to call 
you? Doesn’t matter, I guess it will do.) With my 
life!” 

And Dick slowly went out to reconnoitre. When he 
came back his face was grave. “I can see them in the 
distance, ’ ’ he said. ‘ ‘ They outnumber us twenty to one. 
We must sell our lives dearly.” 

Suddenly there was a mighty blast on the horn that 
hung on the far side of the moat. “A call to parley! 
Well, we will meet them bravely. What do you wish, 
Macdougall?” 

From across the moat came a mighty bellowing reply. 
“My daughter, sir, my daughter, traitor Bruce! For 
twenty years I have been waiting to storm your castle, 
and now I see my chance! Give her to me before I slay 
you! ’ ’ 

“Never,” replied Dick, valiantly. “She is my prom¬ 
ised bride. Here she stands, mine forever! ’ ’ 

“This is the only home I have ever known,” cried 
Marion to the voice. “I cannot leave it to go with you. 
He does look like a pirate,” she added confidentially to 
Dick. “Let’s play he is a great robber and murderer, 
too.” 

“If I give her back to you, you will surely kill her,” 
shouted Dick. “Murderer, do your worst!” 

Instantly there came an attack. The besiegers were 
constructing a raft with which to cross the moat. The 
small garrison fired shot after shot among them. 

“Our powder is gone!” cried Marion in a voice of de¬ 
spair. “What shall we do?” 

“They are setting fire to the castle!” announced one of 
the garrison, breathlessly. 

“Save yourselves!” said their leader. “There is an 
underground passage to the other side of the moat, how- 


THE GIANT OF THE FROG POND 


109 


ever. If we can get through it we can take them in the 
rear. Let ns make one last desperate attempt.” 

They disappeared from the ramparts, and the Mac- 
dougalls advanced with a shout of triumph. They were 
obliged to go slowly, however, and before they had quite 
reached the great gate, the defenders sprang upon them 
and drove them like sheep into the moat. Just as they 
stopped for breath, the flames, which had been raging un¬ 
checked, burst through the roof of the castle. They 
watched their house burn to ashes. 

Marion and Dick climbed out of their hut, which they 
had shaken down over them in the excitement of the 
story. 

“ Let’s go home,” said Dick, “I’m dreadfully hungry.” 


THE GIANT OF THE FROG POND. 

O N the edge of a pleasant farm there was a small 
pond, which was so tiny that nobody bothered to 
give it a name, or to do anything with it. It was 
no bigger than a good-sized room, and not deep enough 
even for a two-year-old to drown in. 

The farmer’s wife had three children, two boys and a 
little girl between their ages, who were in the habit of 
spending hours together by the pond. Their mother was 
entirely willing, so long as they always took off their 
shoes before they began to play. 

“I know they can’t hurt themselves,” she told the 
neighbors, “and it keeps them happy and out of the 
way. ’ ’ 

Well as she thought she knew the pond, the children 
could have told her a great deal more. They had a tent 
on one side of it, just big enough to cover two of them 
completely, so that there were always arguments to de¬ 
cide whose turn it was to have his feet stick out when 
they played in it. 

One day as they were lying inside the tent, Margery 
had a brilliant idea. She was feeling happy, for she had 
Vol. 1—7 


110 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


been allowed to get all the way into the tent for the first 
time in a week. 

“Let’s make a raft,” she said. “There are some big 
boards back of the barn that we could use, and the pole 
from the clothesline. I want to find out what is over on 
the other side of the pond.” 

Her brothers jumped at the idea. “We can make a 
paddle-wheel,” Ralph suggested, “and a sail, perhaps.” 

“We might find some fish in the pond,” George added. 
He was a hopeful child, and carried a hook in his pocket 
to be used if he should ever find a fish waiting for him. 

It did not take long to bring the boards over to the 
pond, and in an afternoon of hard work they had managed 
to build a raft which would hold them all, if they sat very 
still. They tied it carefully, and' went home to supper. 

Their mother, when she heard of the raft, was de¬ 
lighted, and told them they might play with it all they 
pleased, if only they would try to keep warm while they 
were on it. They promised, and went to sleep very 
anxious for the next day to come. 

They were out early. The raft was close to the shore, 
pulling at its rope in the light breeze. 

“All aboard!” sang out Ralph. 

‘ ‘ Ship ahoy! ’’ called Margery. 

“Haul in the gangplank,” cried George. 

They were each of them provided with a stout pole, 
and by pushing very hard they managed to get the raft 
afloat. 

“We’ll sail to the Barbadoes,” said Margery, who 
knew more geography than the boys. “I should think 
they were somewhere to the west of us.” 

They poled vigorously. For a long time none of them 
spoke. Then Margery stopped abruptly. “Let’s anchor 
here,’’ she said. “I’m tired.’’ 

The boys agreed with her, and they rested awhile. 
Presently Margery began, in a tone of great excitement. 

“Oh, look, do you see that rock over there! It’s got a 
door in the side, and I do believe someone is living in it.” 

True enough. As she spoke, the door opened, and a 
queer old woman looked out. She did not see the children, 


THE GIANT OF THE FROG POND m 

but lifted a born to her lips and blew on it so loudly that 
the children nearly tumbled over from surprise. 44 I’m 
coming, mother, ’ ’ bellowed a voice, as through the water 
came a giant, walking on the bottom of the lake, and only 
a head and shoulders above the water. He strode toward 
the door, entered, and it was shut behind him. 

“That must be the giant,’’ said Margery. “Now he’ll 
want to eat his dinner, and then sleep, and after that he 
will go out hunting for food for his mother and himself. 
Let’s go over and see what the house is like.” 

“Maybe he’ll want to eat us,” objected George. 

“Of course lie will,” said Margery. “Come along.” 

They poled their way across to the door, going very 
quietly, so that they might not be heard, and inspected the 
place on all sides. It seemed to be very strong, and even 
Ralph shivered a little at the thought of the dungeons 
that probably lay below it. 

“Can’t you see the bones!” asked Margery in an awe¬ 
struck whisper. 

“We’d better go, quick, before he finds out that we 
have been here, ’ ’ Ralph urged. 4 4 He may get angry and 
chase us!” 

They poled away in a hurry, but this was their undoing, 
for they made so much noise through the water that the 
giant came out to see what was happening. He had been 
waked from his nap, and he was angry in consequence. 

“Children!” he thundered, when he caught sight of 
them. 4 4 Children! ’ ’ 

And with that awful sentence he plunged into the water 
after them. They had a good start and they poled stead¬ 
ily, but by slow degrees he gained on them. Margery, 
who was looking back, saw him coming nearer and nearer, 
and could hear him laughing to himself. 

He stretched out a long arm toward the raft just as 
the boys, who had been poling with all their might, 
stopped exhausted. The raft drifted slowly forward, 
and then— 

KerSPLASH! The giant tripped, stumbled, and fell 
headlong. The waves he made in falling drove the raft 
ahead, out of his reach, while he lay on his side in the 


112 


AT MOTHER'S KNEE 


water groaning frightfully. His mother heard him, and 
rushed out full of anxiety. 

“What is the matter with you, darling little Mumbol” 
she wailed. ‘ ‘ Did you hurt yourself f’’ 

Mumbo sat up. “I tripped over a bramble bush,” he 
whimpered, “and I bumped my shin, and IVe torn a hole 
in my breeches!” He ended with a yell which could be 
heard for half a mile. His mother looked at the hole. 
Her anxiety changed instantly to anger. 

“You careless boy!” she cried, “didn’t I tell you never 
to wear your Sunday breeches when you go in the water ? 
Come home immediately, while I spank you.” And 
with that she seized him firmly by the ear and dragged 
him homeward. 

“We’re in luck,” declared Ralph, as they watched the 
giant retreating. “Just think what he would have done 
to us if he hadn’t stumbled!” 

“And I’m hungry,” added Margery. “Let’s go home 
and get something to eat.” 

They poled their way back to the shore comfortably, 
gathered up the shoes and stockings which they had hid¬ 
den in the tent, and made their way home. When they 
came into the living-room where their mother was, she 
looked at their hands and faces before she spoke. “I see 
you’ve been having a good time,” she said. “There are 
some cookies in the pantry. You may each take two— 
only wash your paddy-paws first.” 


THE TALE OF THE HAIR-TREE. 

O NCE, in a far-distant country, there lived a queen 
who was famous for her beautiful black hair. It 
hung far below her knees, and was so thick that it 
took her two hours to comb it every morning. She was 
extremely proud of it, and so was the king, her husband. 

As she was sitting on the balcony of her palace one 
glorious spring day brushing her hair, a raven perched 
on the railing beside her, looked at her with his head on 
one side, and said in a hoarse croak: 


THE TALE OF THE HAIR-TREE 


113 


“ Pretty queen, pretty queen, give me a lock of your 
hair to line my nest with . 1 9 

“Give you some of my hair!” she retorted angrily, 
“what right have you to ask me a thing like that?” 

“You had better do what I ask,” the raven told her, 
“for if you do not, something worse will happen to you.” 

Now the queen did not dream that he was really a pow¬ 
erful magician, so she answered haughtily that she had 
no intention of doing any such thing. 

“Very well,” replied the raven, “then I will take it 
all, and you shall not have any left.” With a sudden 
motion he flew toward her, gave one peck with his beak, 
and lo and behold, all her hair was pulled off and carried 
away, and she found herself as bald as an egg! She 
screamed and cried, but that would not bring back her 
beautiful hair. Finally she sent for the court physician, 
and asked whether he could do anything to make the new 
hair grow. He worked, and worked, and worked, but 
nothing happened. Finally she dismissed him, and sent 
for someone else. 

But no matter who tried to bring back her hair, it was 
useless. At last she made a proclamation that she would 
give endless wealth to any man who could help her, but 
that whoever tried and failed should be put to death. 
This frightened the doctors. 

At last an old woman told the queen that she had heard 
from a sailor that far away in the north there was a won¬ 
derful tree whose seeds would grow hair, but she did not 
know anything more about it. This interested the queen 
greatly, and she offered great rewards to anyone who 
would go for her. At last a young sailor agreed to do so. 

“You must wait three years for me,” he said, “for it 
will be a difficult and dangerous journey. If I do not 
come back at the end of that time, you will know it is 
because I have been killed in the attempt.” To this the 
queen readily agreed, and the young sailor started out. 

But he was unlucky at the beginning. The ship struck 
rocks at first, then storms, then icebergs, and finally the 
seamen decided that the sailor was the cause of all their 
misfortunes, and that the only way to be sure of living 


114 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


through their journey would be to get rid of him. Ac¬ 
cordingly they put him into an open boat, with provisions 
for three days, and set him adrift. 

He was tossed about for several days, but at last, when 
he had eaten all his food and was nearly dead of thirst, he 
found himself in a current of water which drew him 
rapidly toward a desert land. Here he was cast up, very 
thankful to be on dry land once more. In the distance he 
saw a tall tree, and as he could think of nothing better to 
do he walked toward it. 

No sooner had he reached the tree than he observed 
that it was a most remarkable plant. It was covered with 
long pods, and these were beginning to burst as he came 
up, scattering big, round nuts at the foot of the tree. He 
was so hungry that he tasted one of them, found it good, 
and promptly ate till he could eat no more. Then it 
struck him that it would be wise to gather as many as he 
could for food, so he filled his pockets with all that were 
left, till even a mouse could not have found another nut. 

Just then a raven came by. Now this was the same 
raven who had stolen the queen’s hair. He hunted about 
most industriously but could find nothing. Presently he 
spied the young man. 

4 ‘Have you seen any nuts here?” he asked politely. “I 
am anxious to take some home to my babies, but they all 
seem to have vanished. ’ ’ 

“I couldn’t say,” replied the sailor cautiously. “Do 
you happen to know how I can get to the hair-tree from 
here?” 

“Why do you ask?” the raven demanded. 

“Maybe I might help you hunt for the nuts if you told 
me,” explained the sailor, and he carefully pulled one out 
of his pocket while the raven was looking the other way. 
“I declare I Here is one now! Probably I could find 
you a lot more!” 

The raven considered. “Well,” he said at last, “it 
is at the North Pole, not very far from here. You go 
straight ahead, and you will not be able to miss it. Now 
give me the nuts!” He was so eager that it gave the 
sailor a new idea. 


THE TALE OF THE HAIR-TREE 


115 


4 ‘There must be something strange about those nuts,” 
thought he, so instead of giving all the nuts to the raven, 
he gave him only the contents of one pocket. The rest 
he kept for himself. The raven flew off, well satisfied, 
and the sailor started northward. 

After he had traveled two days, he came to an old 
tigress, and as she seemed very gentle, he spoke to her. 
She knew something about the hair-tree, she said. He 
must go on till he came to a field full of bright-colored 
flowers. 

14 They will speak to you, and when you look at them 
you will find that they have little faces in them. They 
will beg you to kiss them, but you must not do that, no 
matter how much they beg. They only want to bite 
out a little piece of your cheek. You must cut up some of 
the nuts in very small pieces, and give that to them in¬ 
stead. Then they will he very friendly, and will tell you 
what you wish to know. ’’ 

The young man thanked her. “Is there no way that 1 
can reward you?” he asked the tigress. 

“Yes,” she replied, “I will tell you how. When you 
get to the hair-tree, you will find it surrounded by a wide 
stream. On the far side of the stream there are a great 
many osiers, growing so thickly that you cannot push 
your way between them. You must cut down twenty-five 
of them, no more and no less; and when you have done 
so you must make them into a bundle and bring them 
back with you to me. That is all that you can do for me, 
but be sure that you do not forget.” 

The sailor promised and started on. It all happened 
as the tigress had foretold. The little flowers begged him 
to kiss them, and if he had not known that they were 
hungry, and wanted to eat him, he would surely have 
done so, for they were very pretty. They told him how 
to go, and told him that when he got to the stream, he 
would find a duck who would carry him across. 

He hurried on and soon reached the stream, and was 
carried over by a big old drake. When he reached the 
thicket of osiers he wondered how he could ever get 


116 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


through. He chopped, and chopped, and chopped, laying 
the sticks close beside him as he did so. When the twenty- 
fifth stick was cut, he saw a path stretching out before 
him and passed through the hedge. 

There before him stood the hair-tree, and a marvelous 
tree indeed! Instead of leaves, it had brushes and combs 
hanging from its twigs. There were curling tongs and 
hairpins and ornaments; there were tonics and hair dyes 
and shampoos; there were all sorts of wigs and switches 
and curls. The tree was arranged in circles, each show¬ 
ing the color of hair. At the top was golden, then red, 
then brown, and so on, in every imaginable shade and 
color. And in each circle there hung the great, round 
pods which held the seeds. 

The young man climbed the tree at once, and set about 
gathering all the seeds he could carry, choosing the best 
from each circle, and taking great pains to get a sample 
of the color hair which came from each, so that there 
should be no mistake. He worked as hard as he could, 
but it was growing late when he finally reached the 
stream with his bundle of osiers in his hand, and the 
precious package of seeds inside his coat. The drake was 
waiting for him, crying sleepily, 4 ‘ Hurry, hurry/’ and 
the water as they glided across seemed also to whisper, 
“hurry, hurry.’’ 

When the sailor came to the field full of little flowers, 
they were all asleep, so he did not stop, but went on as 
quickly as he could travel. Soon the country began to 
show that something strange had happened since he had 
been there. Everywhere there were signs of a great 
famine. There was not a thing to eat anywhere. For¬ 
tunately he still had plenty of nuts for himself, but he 
wondered what had become of the tigress. 

It was not long before he found out. Suddenly he saw 
her come running toward him. 

“Have you the* osiers V’ she cried, “beat me with them, 
beat me, beat me, quick! * ’ 

“How can IV’ he objected. “You have been far too 
good to me for that.” 

“You must, or I shall eat you,” she answered, and 


THE TALE OF THE HAIR-TREE 


117 


rushed at him so fiercely that there was nothing for him 
to do but beat her back as well as he could. He struck at 
her again and again, until one by one all the rods were 
broken. And just as the last one snapped, lo and behold, 
the tigress vanished and in her place stood a beautiful 
princess. She had been changed to a tigress by the 
raven, and had been obliged to wait hundreds of years 
for her deliverer. 

Together she and the young man started home. I can¬ 
not begin to tell you all the things that happened to them 
on the way, but at last, after a long time, they reached 
the queen’s dominions. 

Meanwhile the three years had passed, and on the last 
day the queen, in despair, announced that when the time 
was up, to the minute, the hair should be shaved off the 
heads of all her ladies in waiting, for she could not bear 
the thought of being the only bald woman in the land. 
Accordingly a great barber’s chair was brought into the 
great audience chamber, and all the ladies were gathered 
together, dressed in mourning, and very sad at the 
thought of losing their hair. 

The clock ticked—one, two, three—and the last minute 
passed. Soldiers grasped one of the ladies firmly and 
led her up to the chair. Just as the barber was about to 
begin, a shout was heard at the far end of the room. 
4 ‘Way for the queen’s messenger!” someone cried. 

And through the crowd came the young sailor and his 
bride. He fell on his knees, pulled out the packet of 
seeds, and showed them to the queen. 

“How do you know they will work?” she asked. “We 
must try them on somebody,” and she looked about her 
for some bald fellow on whom she could experiment. The 
minister of finance was standing near, very bald and 
wrinkled with pondering over the affairs of state, so she 
commanded them to take him. 

“What color hair do you want?” the young man 
asked. 

‘ ‘ Gray, ’ ’ said the old man. But the sailor was so nerv¬ 
ous that he seized the wrong package by mistake and 
sprinkled him liberally with the golden seed. Instantly 


118 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


there began to grow a fine down all over his head. Be¬ 
fore they knew what was happening, his hair had 
reached to his shoulders, then to his waist, then to his 
knees. And one seed, which fell on his nose by accident, 
had grown a lock of hair seven feet long in five minutes. 

“Hurry,” cried the queen, and the sailor sprinkled her 
head with the black seeds, while all the bald-headed people 
in the kingdom crowded into the room. Then he began 
to sprinkle them in turn, until he had used up almost all 
that he had left. There was one poor old fellow who 
remained, and as there was not enough of any one color 
left, the sailor mixed them all together. You should 
have seen him then, his head looking like a patchwork 
quilt! 

But the young sailor and his bride were rewarded, and 
were made rich for life. The queen was prouder than 
ever of her hair, as you may imagine; but one thing was 
certain—she never went out on the balcony to comb her 
hair again. As for the raven, nothing was ever heard of 
him again. 


A LITTLE GIRL IN A PIONEER SETTLEMENT. 

W HEN the white settlers first came to the part of 
the country now called Ohio, there were still a 
great many Indians who roved through the for¬ 
ests. Generally they were a harmless tribe, but, of course, 
the settlers did not feel any too comfortable about them. 
There were too many terrible tales of massacres and 
bloodshed in other places to give them complete security. 

One of these men was Alexander Dalton, who brought 
his family out just as soon as he had a place to take them 
to. It was only a log cabin, like all the rest, with oiled 
paper for windows, a big chimney, and the cracks between 
the logs stopped up with moss and clay. Nevertheless, he 
brought his wife and their little daughter there to live. 
They were fortunate in having neighbors not far away. 


A LITTLE GIRL IN A PIONEER SETTLEMENT H9 

In this family there were three children, and little Char¬ 
lotte soon made friends with them. Together they used 
to go ont to play after their tasks were done, and a great 
deal of fnn they had. 

Now Charlotte’s mother had come from Virginia, and 
she was very anxions that Charlotte should have the man¬ 
ners of a lady, even if she did live in a cabin. So she 
taught her how to speak politely to strangers, how to sit 
still when her parents were talking, and, most important 
of all, how to curtsy to every grown-up. 

One day the children went out to play. It was very 
warm, and they wandered into the woods not far from 
home, playing at one thing after another, until they were 
deep in the woods—quite out of earshot. Not that that 
troubled them, they could find their way hack without any 
difficulty. At last they sat down to rest. 

“Just think, if we should meet some Indians!” sug¬ 
gested Peter, who loved to scare the girls when he could. 

‘ 1 Pooh,’ ’ said his sister, ‘ i we could run away all right ! 91 
Then they began to tell all sorts of stories of Indian 
raids. Some of them were true, but most of them had no 
foundation. Nevertheless, they succeeded in making them¬ 
selves so timid that they expected to be scalped at any 
moment. Finally they turned to go home. 

All at once a wild yell broke from Peter, who was walk¬ 
ing ahead, and had reached a fork in the path. 

* ‘ Indians! ’ 9 he shrieked. 11 They ’re coming toward us! 
Run!” and with that he darted along the path that led 
toward home. His sister and brother followed, and Char¬ 
lotte did her best to run after them. But they were older 
than she, and could run much faster than she could, for 
she was a plump little girl. She found herself face to 
face with the foremost of the Indians, who was coming 
straight toward her. What to do she did not know. 

As she stood beside the path, trembling and frightened, 
she remembered that she had heard her mother say that 
the Indians always liked politeness. The only way of 
showing politeness that she could think of was to curtsy; 
and so, without a moment’s hesitation, she bobbed the 
prettiest curtsy she could manage. The Indian looked 


120 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


surprised, but passed on without paying any attention to 
her. Right behind him were others, hundreds, as it 
seemed to Charlotte, but she knew nothing else to do, 
and curtsied to each one in turn. 

There were only two more, as Charlotte, almost out of 
breath with her exertion, bobbed again. And then came 
the disaster. As the last Indian approached she tried 
to make her curtsy, when she stumbled, fell, and rolled 
over and over, squarely in his path. Her heart almost 
stopped beating with terror. What would he do to her? 

Suddenly she saw the Indian stoop and felt his hands 
under her arms. She did not dare to scream. Firmly he 
lifted her up, and set her carefully in her place at the 
side of the path. Then he disappeared after the rest. 

Ever after Charlotte was quite sure that only her 
politeness saved her from the cruelty of the Indians. 


THE PUPPIES AND THE POND. 

HERE are two puppies who live in the house next 



door to mine. They were brought there when they 


were just old enough to leave their mother, and they 
have grown up there ever since. Of course, I find them 
most interesting company. 

My first acquaintance with them began when they were 
very small. They had just arrived, and the only place 
for them was the large packing box in which they had 
traveled. From my window I could see the whole family, 
and hear them discussing what to do. 

“They can’t stay shut up in there,” said the mother, 
holding a wriggling little brown puppy in her arms to 
show her three-year-old son. The puppy yipped as if to 
explain that he agreed. 

“They ought to have room to run in,” her husband 
answered. “I wonder whether anybody would object if 
we put up a wire netting between tiiese two houses?” 

You must understand that our houses were all built in 
a row, adjoining, so that a fence which stretched from 







WBK- 


w»Sft sum 




















THE LITTLE LIBRARIAN 


FROM THE PAINTING BY HARRIET M. BENNETT 

When i am very big and old 
HS write a book all bound in gold; 
And all the things of which I think 
I’ll write about in pen and ink; 

And all the boys and girls I’ll tell 
Of Mother, dear, who loves me well. 






THE PUPPIES AND THE POND 


123 


theirs to the next, would need to be fastened to my back 
porch. Presently my doorbell rang, and Mr. Gray stood 
before me. He asked me about the fence, and I was only 
too glad to give permission. For the next two hours he 
was busy, and at last had arranged a splendid yard for 
the puppies. By and by I went out to watch him and to 
play with the dogs. 

By that time it was nearly dark, and the puppies were 
put to bed, I suppose, for I saw nothing more of them that 
day. They were water-spaniels, I had heard, and their 
names were Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee. 

Next morning, as I was watering the plants in my win¬ 
dow, I heard a series of queer sounds. They were not 
exactly barks, nor yelps, but rather squeals, chuckles, and 
gurgles. There was no doubt about it. The puppies 
had gone out to play. 

There they were, investigating every corner of their 
yard, rolling and jumping and frisking, and making the 
same odd noises all the time. Evidently they were happy. 
From time to time Mrs. Gray or Nellie, her cook, would 
come out to see how they were, and my old washerwoman, 
Maggie, stopped in the middle of her rinsing to pick them 
up and fondle them. 

For that morning they were content where they had 
been put. Then Tweedle-dum began to find it tedious. I 
watched him poking his nose thoughtfully along the crack 
between the fence and the wall, and I guessed what would 
happen. Tweedle-dee was experimenting near the pole 
in the middle. Evidently they were planning something. 

About three o’clock they managed it. With a trium¬ 
phant i ‘ yip!’ 9 Tweedle-dum squeezed his way between the 
pole and the wall, and ran around to watch his brother. 
Tweedle-dee, hard at work, was crawling under the wire 
net. He stopped, breathless, and Tweedle-dum came over 
and wagged a friendly tail at him. Another wriggle, a 
little squeal, and the two dogs were free. They grinned 
at each other and .began to waddle over toward my door¬ 
step as fast as their short legs could carry them. 

But Nellie had been watching them. She ran out, 
picked them up in her apron and then dropped them un- 


124 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


ceremoniously over the fence. When they had stopped 
rolling, they sat up and looked at each other, very much 
surprised. 

Still, they had learned something. After a while, dur¬ 
ing which they tried to look as meek as possible, they be¬ 
gan to poke about once more. Nellie had foreseen this, 
however. An extra stake made it too much for a puppy 
to scratch up the fence, and another closed the place 
where Tweedle-dum had crawled through. There was 
nothing for two little dogs to do but sleep, and this they 
did. 

All through the spring I watched them, but I never 
could really tell one from the other. They were friendly 
dogs, and used to stand by the fence wagging their tails 
at the dogs outside. I wondered what they were thinking 
about. But before I could find out it was time for me to 
go away for the summer. 

When I saw them next I did not recognize them. One 
day I met a couple of nurses wheeling baby carriages, 
Mrs. Gray’s Charlie walking with them, and two big, 
grave, beautifully behaved brown dogs walking after 
them, almost like children hand in hand. They were too 
absorbed in their manners to notice me. 

That evening I met Charlie playing in front of the 
house. “What lovely dogs those are,” I said. “Whose 
are they?” 

Charlie turned to me in astonishment. “Didn’t you 
know? Those are Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee.” 

The next day it rained; one of those heavy autumn 
storms which cover the low places with water. It lasted 
for the best part of a week. When it was over I found 
that the little grass plot in front of the house was trans¬ 
formed into a lake. 

“That means ever so many boys with wet feet,” I said 
to my sister; and just then I saw that it meant something 
more. Around the corner came two brown dogs, racing 
as fast as they could. They dashed toward the water, 
ran down the embankment, and plunged in as hard as 
they could go. They ran, and jumped, and splashed, and 
paddled, and then stood still and barked. From some¬ 
where in the distance came an answer. 


THE PUPPIES AND THE POND 


125 


A moment later there were four dogs in the pond, three 
on the bank, and another tugging at his leash on the side¬ 
walk. In the very middle were Tweedle-dum and Tweedle- 
dee, and beside them a black dog I had never seen. Evi¬ 
dently they were calling the others to come in. 

But the Airedale on the bank explained that he and the 
bull-terrier did not want to get their feet wet. 

44 Nonsense/’ yelped Tweedle-dum. 

4 4 ’Fraid-cat,’ 9 howled Tweedle-dee. 

“I had a bath yesterday,” objected the bull-terrier. 

44 I’ve got a cold in my head,” said the Airedale. 

44 Let’s make them,” suggested the strange dog. And 
instantly they all rushed out upon the others. Then be¬ 
gan such a racing and chasing as you never saw. The 
Airedale tried to reach the alley and get home and the 
bull-terrier turned down toward the village. But now 
two other dogs took a part in the fun. The collie, who 
had watched in dignified silence, headed them off in one 
direction, and the funny, tailless little creature stopped 
them in another, making such a noise that for a moment 
they really thought he might hurt them. There was only 
one way open, and that led straight into the water. 

For more than an hour they played about, in spite of 
the cold wind that made me draw my fur close about my 
throat. Then they disappeared, to get dry and warm, I 
supposed. By and 'by I knew what had happened. I 
overheard a conversation between Nellie and Maggie. 

“I’ve had to mop up the kitchen floor three times this 
week,” Nellie called over to Maggie. 

44 What’s the matter with your folks?” Maggie asked. 

44 It’s those dogs,” Nellie shouted. 44 They do be play¬ 
ing in the water all the day, and then coming in wet and 
muddy to get dry behind the stove. I’m too soft-hearted 
to put them out, and they so dirty and all! But I do love 
to watch them in the pond!” 


126 


AT MOTHER’S KNEE 


PADDY THE PIPER. 

I T was a bright moonlight night in Ireland, at a time 
when there was much trouble for the people. The 
rulers of the country were trying their best to prevent 
any uprising among the peasants, and were punishing 
without mercy all whom they suspected of being rebels. 
One could scarcely move without meeting some sign of 
their efforts to repress the people. It might be a burned 
house, a ruined cowshed, or even a grim gibbet on which 
there hung a chained figure as a warning to people to for¬ 
bear resisting the officers of the law. 

Paddy the Piper, walking briskly along with his head 
in the clouds and snatches of the dance music he had been 
playing all evening running through his head, entered a 
thick wood. He had nothing to fear from the soldiery, 
for he was known to be a harmless fellow, interested in 
nothing but his music, and he was allowed to come and go 
as he would. It was dark in the forest, but Paddy cared 
little for that. He whistled a little, and hastened on. 

Suddenly he began to see stars, although the woods 
above him were so thick that not a ray of light pierced 
through them. In the darkness he had struck his head 
against the feet of a man, cased in excellent boots, and the 
blow he had received had sent the stars dancing through 
his brain. Looking up, Paddy beheld a dead man hang¬ 
ing from a gibbet above him, left there by the soldiers 
after they had taken his life. 

“Mighty curious,” grunted Paddy, thoughtfully, and 
he felt about in the dim light for the feet which had 
struck him. “Uncommonly good boots, those/’ thought 
he, “that fellow can’t want them any more. Might as 
well take them myself.” Accordingly he set about pull¬ 
ing off the boots, but they fitted far too closely for this, 
and he soon found that he must take them, legs and all, 
or none. This troubled Paddy not at all, and he went on 
his way carrying the legs of the dead man over his 
shoulder. 


PADDY THE PIPER 


127 


He had not gone far before he came to a cowshed, in 
which he took shelter for the rest of the night. Now it so 
happened that his cowshed was sheltered from the moon¬ 
light by a thick bush, and Paddy dropped asleep in the 
darkness. He was wakened an hour or so later by the 
light of the moon, which had crept round so that it 
streamed directly on his face. He was certain that it 
was time for him to get up and go to the fair, and rising 
hastily, he pulled the boots off the legs of their owner 
and scrambled up and away. 

At daybreak some of Paddy’s friends went to find him, 
and knowing the cowshed in which he was planning to 
spend the night, they had no difficulty in finding the place 
where he had slept. But what was their surprise when 
they discovered no Paddy there, only a big red cow that 
gazed at them mildly and peaceably from her stall, while 
close beside her lay the legs of the dead man, exactly 
where Paddy had thrown them a few hours before. 

The men stared at one another, and at the cow, then 
at the dead man’s legs. “Begorra, an’ she must be a 
savage baste, that cow!” cried one, fearfully, as he edged 
his way toward the open field. 

‘ ‘ To think that a cow would eat up a man! ’ ’ whispered 
another. “Faith an’ I’d not be the one to own her a 
minute longer than I could help!” 

They were joined by the owner of the cow, who started 
in horror as he learned what she was supposed to have 
done. “It’s selling her I am, this day at the fair,” he 
declared, as he led the animal out toward the road. 

In great trembling the men started toward the market 
town, keeping a respectful distance from the cow, who 
ambled placidly along, enjoying the unusual freedom, for 
none of them dared to molest or hurry her. They had 
not gone far before they heard sounds of music coming 
from the road near by. Presently a figure appeared before 
them. 

“It’s Paddy!” cried one. “His ghost do be coming to 
tell us how it happens!” 

“Saints preserve us! What shall we do?” 

“Who’s there?” called a voice, as Paddy himself drew 

Vol. I—8 


128 


AT MOTHER'S KNEE 


near to them. “What is the matter with ye? Sure, an’ 
ye look as if it was seeing a ghost you are!” 

“Sure, and aren’t you a ghost yourself, Paddy, and 
we taking the cow to market that ate you?” cried one of 
the men, while the others shut their eyes and yelled in 
terror. 

“Ghost!” cried Paddy, “not I!” And he gave a wild 
flourish on his pipe to prove his reality. The cow was 
frightened by this new sound, and turned kicking her 
heels as she ran toward her own stable, and the men, 
thinking she was about to devour another piper, shrieked 
in utter despair. But Paddy reassured them. 

“She’s only for going home,” he called, and he shook 
the men kindly by the shoulders. 

“Then it isn’t dead you are, Paddy?” said one of the 
men, as he told how they had supposed that he was killed, 
and Paddy explained that there was nothing to fear. A 
drop of spirits at the nearest tavern soon reassured 
them, and they went to the fair with new courage, and 
laughing heartily at the mistake which they had made. 


JUPITER AND THE FROGS. 


[adapted from aesop] 


HERE were a number of frogs who lived together 



in a large pool, who became discontented with 


A their lives. “What a pity it is,” said one to an¬ 
other, “that we have no king to rule over us. Perhaps 
if we had someone who was strong and powerful, we 
should be happier than we are.” In this fashion they 
quarreled and fretted, and at last they made themselves 
so miserable that they decided to send a deputation to 
Jupiter to ask his assistance. 

After much discussion they chose three of the biggest 
and wisest to carry their message to Jupiter, and the 
three frogs set out for Olympus, where they were kindly 
received. 

“What is your business?” asked Jupiter, 


JUPITER AND THE FROGS 


129 


“We want a king,” answered the frogs, and they all 
set up a tremendous croaking to show how necessary it 
was that they should have a ruler. Jupiter listened to 
all their arguments, and agreed solemnly with them in 
all that they had to say. 

44 Very well,” replied the king of the gods, “I will send 
one to govern you at once .’ 1 

The frogs returned home well satisfied, and Jupiter, 
as soon as they had reached home, threw a great log into 
the pool where they were awaiting the arrival of the 
king. It made such a splash that the frogs all dived for 
the bottom of the pool and hid there, too terrified to move. 
Jupiter laughed, for he knew what would happen. 

When the water was still again, the frogs came out of 
their hiding places, swam around the log, examined it, and 
climbed up on it. The more familiar they grew with it, 
the less they respected it, and the less they cared about 
it. It was not long before they were in revolt against 
the ruler whom Jupiter had given to them, as he had ex¬ 
pected they would be. 

“The idea of sending us a king like that!” they said. 
“What a lazy thing it is, anyway! We need somebody 
who has more energy and vigor.” So once more they 
sent the three oldest and wisest frogs to Mount Olympus, 
to beg Jupiter to do something better for them. They 
explained the case as carefully as they could, and told him 
how dissatisfied they w T ere with the king he had given 
them. The king of the gods laughed merrily to himself, 
and promised that he would do as they wished. When he 
saw that they had reached the pool safely, he sent down 
an eel to be their king. 

Now the eel was no more to the liking of the frogs than 
the log had been, for he did nothing but burrow into the 
mud at the bottom of the pool, and lay there hidden from 
all the frogs. He was far too easy-going to satisfy the 
frogs, and in despair they sent to beg Jupiter to try 
again what he could do for them. 

For the third time Jupiter agreed to do what they 
asked, but this time he too was puzzled to know what 
would do for a ruler. He gazed thoughtfully about him, 


130 


AT MOTHER'S KNEE 


and at last observed a heron standing on one leg on the 
edge of a swamp. 44 The very person!’’ declared Jupiter, 
and he sent the heron down to the pool where the frog® 
were waiting for their new king. 

The new king took to his duties eagerly. He hopped 
down to the pool and took up his station on its edge, 
watching eagerly for his subjects to appear. At last one 
of the boldest appeared, and swam toward the king with 
the best manners of which he was capable. The others, 
watching to see what happened, noticed how cordial the 
king appeared on his approach. Nearer and nearer the 
frog came, when all at once, snap! went the big beak, and 
the heron had swallowed his subject, bones and all! Day 
after day he waited, and any frog who was brave enough 
to venture out was swiftly gobbled up. At last there 
were no more frogs in the pool, and the heron departed to 
seek new kingdoms. Jupiter had provided a king who 
left no opportunity for his subjects to complain. 


POOR JACK. 

BY DIO LEWIS. 

O UR dog Jack had been lame several days from a 
4 ‘foxtail ’ 9 in his foot. This foxtail is a small stiff 
weed, found in San Joaquin and other hot valleys. 
It is armed with a series of barbs, and when the point 
enters, it is sure to work its way far up into the dog’s 
foot. It is a custom among Californians, when cross¬ 
ing the valleys where foxtail grows, to put leather shoes 
on their dogs’ feet. We knew nothing of this, and poor 
Jack was victimized. His foot was enormously swollen, 
he could hardly touch it to the ground, and spent his 
leisure moments in licking it. 

I opened the foot, reached the center where the bones 
come together, and took out three pieces of foxtail, but it 
was soon evident that I had left some. Jack must ride, 
and was very restless. 

On the Turlock plain he saw a jackass rabbit, with 












MORE MISCHIEF STILL 

AFTER THE PAINTING BY MEYER VON BREMEN 

This picture reminds us that someone 
“Finds more mischief still 
For idle hands to do.” 

Little hands and little minds must be occupied. If we lead 
the child aright and provide it with proper occupation for its 
natural activities, we shall not have to complain of its mis¬ 
chievous tendencies. 





POOR JACK 


133 


those wonderful ears and astonishing leaps. Jack sprang 
from the wagon and ran after the rabbit like mad. We 
shouted; he heard not, but tore on yelping. Not a limp, 
not a sign of the lame foot. He ran at least a mile, at 
right angles with our course, then suddenly gave up the 
chase, turned round, looked for us, and started to come 
hack. But he was the lamest dog you ever saw; he 
could not touch that foot to the ground. We waited for 
him; he stood still looking toward us, and asked as plainly 
as possible that we would come for him. We waited some 
minutes, then went on a quarter of a mile, thinking he 
would surely come. But no, he was too lame to stir; and 
he seemed to know perfectly well that if he only stuck to 
it, his friends would come to fetch him. He was right. 
Two of us went across the sandy, burning plain, and when 
we got to him, he was too lame even to stand on three 
feet, and was lying helpless on the ground. He weighed 
about one hundred and thirty pounds. We declared we 
would not carry him, tied a rope to his neck; one of us 
pulled and the other drove. But he turned his face to me 
in such a pleading, pitiful way, that I had not the heart 
to make him carry himself, so we took the great creature 
up, and with much panting and sweating lugged him back 
to the wagon. He seemed to think it was all right, and 
nothing but our duty. If able to speak, no doubt he would 
have said: 

“What is a master good for, if he won’t carry you?” 

We declined to take any more chances on jackass rab¬ 
bits, and so tied Master Jack in the wagon. 

I must tell you more about Jack’s lame foot. Soon 
after this rabbit business, I opened it again. It did seem 
from the ghastly incisions made before, that I had reached 
every part of it; but it was soon evident that some bit of 
foxtail was left. He could use his foot a little, but the dis¬ 
charge and lameness continued for a month, when I deter¬ 
mined to get it out, and to that end went deliberately at 
the task of dissecting the interior of Jack’s foot, toe by 
toe. It was proposed that he be etherized, but my wife 
insisted that he understood the necessity of the operation, 
and would patiently submit to it. We got him into a 


134 


AT MOTHER'S KNEE 


good light, laid him down on his side, and I proceeded to 
open the old cnts, and to make deeper and more searching 
ones. Jack did not try to get on his feet, bnt lay still, 
with his immense mouth open, showing rows of terrible 
fangs and howling in the most piteous manner. But he 
did not offer to touch my bloody hands, although they 
were within a few inches of his huge jaws. He seemed 
to realize that what I was doing for him was necessary to 
his cure. A number of intelligent persons stood about, 
witnessing the painful and tedious operation, and they all 
agreed that the dog clearly reasoned. I succeeded, at 
length, in finding two pieces of the hated weed, and re¬ 
moved, as the result showed, every particle. In two 
weeks Jack was able to go on full duty again. 


“ PLEASE TELL ME A STORY” 


In response to this never ending request of the little ones, often 
made before they can speak plain, we give here nearly a score of 
short stories, each conveying a moral, without obtruding it, and each 
full of vital interest and action which never fail to attract and to hold 
the attention of the child. 

The mother, the nurse, or the older brother or sister will welcome 
this little collection. The stories were written by Miss Gertrude 
Sellon, and have been told and retold to thousands of happy children 
since they were first written over thirty years ago. 

THE MAN’S BOOT. 

I N a dark wood, where the wild beasts lived, there once 
lay a man’s boot. How it came there I can not say, 
for no man had been there; at least the beasts had 
not seen one in all their lives. But there was the boot, 
and when the beasts saw it, they all came around to find 
out what it was. Such a thing was quite new to them, 
but they were not much at a loss, for all that. 

“Well, there is no doubt what it is, I say,” said the 
Bear. 

“Oh, of course not,” said the Wolf, and the Goat, and 
all the beasts and birds, in one breath. 

“Of course,” said the Bear. “It is the rind of some 
kind of fruit of a tree. The fruit of the cork, I should 
say. This is cork, it is plain to see;” and he showed 
the sole of the boot. 

“Oh! just hear him! just hear him!” cried all the 
beasts and birds. 

“It’s not that at all,” said the Wolf, with a glance of 
scorn at the Bear. “Of course it is some kind of nest. 
Look! here is the hole for the bird to go in, and here is 
the deep part for the eggs and young ones to be safe. 
No doubt at all, of course not.” 

“Oh! oh!” cried the Bear, and the Goat, and all the 

135 


136 “ PLEASE TELL ME A STORY ” 

birds and beasts. 4 ‘Just hear what he says. It is not 
that at all.” 

“I should think not,” said the Goat. “It is quite 
plain. Look at this long root,” and he showed the lace 
at the side of the boot. “It is the root of a plant, of 
course.” 

“Not at all,” cried the Wolf and the Bear; “not at 
all. A root! How can you say so? It is not that, we 
can all see.” 

“If I might speak,” said an old Owl, who sat in a tree 
near, “I think I can tell you what it is. I have been in 
a land where there are more of such things than you 
could count. It is a man’s boot.” 

“A what?” cried all the beasts and birds. “What is 
a man? and what is a boot?” 

“A man!” said the Owl. “Well, a Man is a thing 
with two legs, that can walk, and eat, and talk like us, 
but he can do much more than we can.” 

“Pooh! pooh!” they all cried. 

“That cannot be true!” said the beasts. “How can 
a thing with two legs do more than we can, who have 
four. It is false, of course.” 

“Of course it is, if they have no wings,” said the 
birds. 

“Well,” went on the Owl, “they have no wings, and 
yet it is true. And they can make things like this, and 
they call them boots, and put them on their feet.” 

“Oh! oh!” cried all the beasts and birds at once. 
“How can you say so? For shame! Fie on you! That 
is not true, of course. It can not be.” 

“A fine tale!” said the Bear. 

“Can do more than we can!” said the Wolf. 

“Wear things on their feet!” said the Goat. 

“Not true! not true!” cried they all. “On the face 
of it, your tale is not true. We know that such things 
are not worn on the feet. How could they be worn on 
the feet?” 

“Of course they could not,” said the Bear. “It is 
false.” 

“It must be false.” cried all the birds and beasts. 


BY-AND-BYE 


137 


“You must leave the wood,” they said to the Owl. 
“What you say can not be true. You are not fit to live 
with us. You have said what we know is false.” 

And they chased the Owl out of the wood, and would 
not let him come back. 

“It is true for all that,” said the Owl. And so it was. 
BY-AND-BYE. 

«TT7 HEN shall you build your nest?” said a 
Vy Thrush to a Jay, one fine day in the spring. 
* * “Oh, by-and-bye, some time,” said the Jay. 
“It is so fine now. I must hop, and fly, and sing, and 
have some fun, while I may.” 

“One can sing while one works,” said the Thrush. 
“When shall you build your nest?” asked the Jay. 
“Mine? Oh! I have built some of it. Look!” and 
the Thrush, with a glad chirp showed the bush where 
she had laid moss and twigs, and twined them so as to 
make part of a nest. “And now,” said she, “I must be 
off to get some hay or wool, or some more moss to go 
on with.” 

“Oh, come and play a bit,” said the Jay. “Why 
don’t you rest for a time?” 

“Oh! that will come by-and-bye,” said the Thrush. 
And she sang her song— 

11 When I’ve done 
I’ll have my fun; 

In my nest 
I’ll take my rest; 

That I know will be the best.” 

“Well, well,” said the Jay, “if you like to work all the 
best part of your life, pray do so.” 

“ Of course,” said the Thrush, “the best part of my 
life is to work in!” 

“Time for work by-and-bye,” said the Jay. 

“Time for rest and play by-and-bye,” said the Thrush. 
And off she flew, as she sang her short gay song. 

“I do not like that song,” said the Jay. 


138 “ PLEASE TELL ME A STORT ” 

Day by day it was the same. The Thrush had built 
her nest, and had laid five smooth, round eggs in it, and 
yet the Jay had not brought one stick to make hers. At 
last, one day, in great haste, she brought some twigs, and 
some coarse grass, and laid them on a bough in a low 
bush. But she did not place them well, and when she 
had worked an hour or two, she left off, and went to see 
the Thrush, who sat on her nest in a bush close by. 

“When will your nest be done?” said the Thrush. 

“Oh, by-and-bye,’’ said the Jay. “I must rest now. 
Have you found time to rest yet?” 

“Oh dear no!” said the Thrush. “Just look, I have 
five dear little young ones here. How could I leave them, 
or find time to play? I fetch them food, or I sit here 
to keep them warm all day and all night. They are such 
dear wee things, and they do eat so much, the pets! I 
must be off now to get them some more food, I see? Time 
to rest by-and-bye, when they have grown up, and can 
get their own food.” And off she flew. 

The Jay’s nest was not made, when one day she saw 
the Thrush with five young ones, all round her on the 
grass. 

“Have you built your nest?” cried the Thrush. 

“No,” said the Jay. “At least, it is not done yet, but 
I have laid my eggs, and the rest of the nest I can build 
by-and-bye, when they are hatched. ’ ’ 

“That will not do,” thought the Thrush. But she did 
not say so. 

That night came a great storm. It rocked the bush 
where the Jay had laid her eggs on the loose twigs and 
grass. They were not well twined together, and there 
was nothing to keep the eggs safe. The eggs slipped on 
one side, and one by one they fell on the ground. When 
the Jay woke next day, all her eggs were gone, and bits 
of shell lay strewed on the ground round the bush. 

And that was what came of the Jay’s “by-and-bye.” 



i'll get even with you 


139 


I’LL GET EVEN WITH YOU. 

N OW this is an odd tale, but if you do not think it is 
at all true, why that is a good thing. 

A Hen trod on a Duck’s foot. She did not 
mean to do it, and it did not hurt much, but the Duck 
would get even with her, she said. So she flew at the 
Hen, but as she did so, her wing struck a Rooster, who 
stood close by. 

“I’ll get even with you,” cried he, and he ran at the 
Duck. But as he did so, his claw tore the fur of a Cat, 
who was just then in the yard. 

“I’ll get even with you,” cried she, and she flew at 
the Cock. But as she did so, her tail struck the eye of a 
Sheep who was near. 

“I’ll get even with you,” cried he, and he ran at the 
Cat. But as he did so, his foot caught the foot of the 
Dog, who lay in the sun. 

“I’ll get even with you,” cried he, and he ran at the 
Sheep. But as he did so, his leg struck an old Cow, who 
stood by the gate. 

“ I’ll get even with you,” cried she, and she ran at the 
Dog. But as she did so, her horn grazed the skin of a 
Horse, who was by a tree. 

“I’ll get even with you,” cried he, and he ran at the 
Cow. 

Then there was a run! The Horse flew at the Cow, 
and the Cow at the Dog, and the Dog at the Sheep, and 
the Sheep at the Cat, and the Cat at the Rooster, and the 
Rooster at the Duck, and the Duck at the Hen. What a 
noise they made, to be sure! 

“What is all this?” said the man, who took care of 
them. “I can not have this noise.” So he took a big 
stick. “You may stay here,” he said to the Hen. But 
he drove the Rooster to his roost, and the Duck to her 
pond, and the Cat to her hearth, and the Sheep to his 
fold and the Dog to his house, and the Cow to her field, 
and the Horse to his stall. 

“I’ll get even with you all,” said he. 


140 


“ PLEASE TELL ME A STORY ” 


I WISH. 


DOG saw a Cat on the top of a high wall. And he 



said, “I wish I could get up there. It must be 


so nice to sit up so high: but I can not climb.” 
And he was cross, and would not wag his tail. 

Then he went on, and saw a Bird in the air. And he 
said, “I wish I could fly like that Bird. What fun it 
must be! and I am so dull here.” And he felt still more 
angry. 

Then he came to a pond, and saw a Fish in it. And 
he said, “I wish I could live in a pond all day. Then 
I should not be so hot as I am now.” And he would 
not look at the Fish, but shut his eyes, and lay down 
on the grass. 

Then he heard the Fish say, “Oh, I wish I could lie 
down on the fresh green grass, as that Dog does! It 
looks so nice and warm out there.” 

The Dog sat up, and went back by the road he had 
come. 

As he went he saw the Bird, and he heard it say, “I 
wish I could play all day long as that Dog does, and have 
a house made for me to live in. I have to make a nest, 
and my wings are so tired; yet I must fly to and fro, day 
by day, till it is done.” 

Then he saw the Cat on the wall, and heard her say, 
“There goes that spoiled Dog home to get his plate of 
meat! I wish I was as well off, and could get meat as 
he does. I have had no food all this long day. I wish I 
was like that Dog!” 


I DON’T CARE. 


UT SHALL go this way,” said a young black Colt, 
who was out on the moor. And he looked down 
the road. 

“No, no,” said a Horse who was close by. “You 
must stay on the moor. 

“Why?” asked the Colt. 


i don't care 141 

“I can not tell,” said the Horse, “I have been told to 
stay by an old Horse, and I shall do so.” 

“I don’t care,” said the young Colt, and off he ran 
down the road. 

By-and-bye he met an old Mare, at an inn door. 
“What are you here for?” asked she. 

“I have come out for a bit of fun,” said the Colt. 

“But you should not do so,” said the Mare. “You 
are not fit to go out in the world. You have no shoes 
on.” 

“I don’t care,” said the Colt, and he kicked his heels 
high up in the air to show that he did not mind what 
the old Mare said. But the Mare was a Mare of few 
words, and she said no more. 

Then he went on down the road, as fast as he could 
run. 

He met a Mule with a pack on his back. The Mule 
shook his head when he saw the Colt. 

“You should not be here,” he said. “You have come 
from off the moor, I know. The town is close by.” 

“I don’t care,” said the Colt. And he raced on. 

Right on through the town he went. He had not been 
in a town in all his life. And the noise, and the sight of 
all the men, and carts, and cars, made him feel quite mad. 
He ran here, and he ran there, while men and boys ran 
to catch him, and threw stones and sticks, and cried out 
at him, all up and down the streets. 

At last, in a great sheet of glass, he saw what he 
thought was a young Colt, and he ran up to ask it what 
he should do, and how he could get back to the moor. Of 
course, it was not a Colt, but his own self that he saw 
in the glass. 

The glass cut him when he dashed at it, and he fell 
down. And then he was caught. 

“Why, that is my young Colt from off the moor!” 
said a man who just then came up. “These are his 
tricks are they? He must have a log of wood tied to his 
feet so he can not run away again.” 

So he was led back to the moor, with his head cut, and 
his feet all sore, and there he had to stump from spot to 


142 


PLEASE TELL ME A STORY 


spot with a great log tied to his feet. But he did not 
say, “I don’t care” any more. 

GREAT EVENTS FROM LITTLE CAUSES SPRING. 

O NE day a Hare was on the top of a high hill. In 
mere play, for he was gay and young, he kicked 
a small stone down the hill. Then he ran off, to 
leap and bound through the wood. 

As the small stone fell, it hit a large stone, which 
moved too, and rolled down as well. And this large 
stone, as it went on, struck a rock, which lay on the side 
of the hill. The rock was not firm, and a small thing 
could move it. The stone struck it just at the bottom, 
and the rock shook and moved, and at last fell from its 
place. It fell in the midst of a deep stream, which ran 
through the fields, with a bank on each side. 

There the rock stood, in the midst of the stream. Day 
by day, the mud and sticks, that came down with the 
stream, were stopped by the rock, till they made quite a 
high bank. At last the stream was stopped up, and could 
not get on. Its course was choked by the rock, and by 
the dam made by the mud and sticks. 

But the stream could not stay still. It rose and it 
rose, till it reached the top of the dam. Then, with a 
great roar, it burst on its way, and rushed on each side, 
all down the valley. 

There was a great flood. All the living things that 
were in the vale were forced to flee for their lives. But 
it was no use. They had not time, and they all lost their 
lives in the flood. 

That day the Hare was once more on the top of the 
hill. His eyes filled with tears when he saw the flood. 
“Poor things! poor things!” he said; “I can not bear 
the sight. How sad this loss of life is! It breaks my 
heart to see it. There is but one thing that seems good 
to me at this sad time, and that is that I had to do with 
it in no way. I should die of grief, if, through my fault, 
such pain and woe came on the world!” 













THE LITTLE SHOWMAN 


FROM THE PAINTING BY F. SONDERLAND 
This little man has learned something from his visit to the men¬ 
agerie, and has made one of his own for the benefit of his little girl 
visitors. This is an excellent indoor amusement which may well 
be encouraged; and it involves little expense. In every house 
where there are children, a Noah’s Ark should be found, and from 
its contents the characteristics of the different animals may be 
learned;—the imparting of the knowledge gained fixes it in the 
memory of the Little Showman. 









THAT IS MY PLACE 


143 


THAT IS MY PLACE. 

I N an old yew tree lived a Wren. She had built her 
nest there for two years, on the same bough. The 
third year, when she came to build her nest, she saw 
a young Wren on what she called her bough. 

“What are you here for?” she said, for she saw that 
the young Wren had some moss in her beak, as if she 
meant to build her nest. 

“I am here to build my nest,” said the young Wren, in 
a pert voice. 

“You must not, that is my place,” said the old Wren. 
“It is not. It is mine,” cried the young one. “I was 
here first this spring. You are but just come, and see 
what I have done,” and she showed some moss twined 
in the twigs of the bough. 

“I don’t care. It is my place,” said the old Wren. “I 
had this tree first. I have had it two years, and now, 
when I come back, I find you here. ’ 9 

“First come, first served,” said the young Wren. 
“That is what I say,” cried the old Wren in a great 
rage. 

4 4 And that is what I say , 9 9 said the young one. 4 4 So it 
is all right.” 

The old Wren gave the young one a peck, and tried to 
tear the moss off the twigs. The young one flew at her, 
and they had a great fight. Each cried out, 4 4 It is my 
place.” “No, it is mine.” “I was here first.” “No, 
I was.” 

44 What is all this?” said an old Cat, who lay near in 
the sun. 44 What a noise! I must go and see.” So she 
went, and she heard what the two birds were saying. 

They were in far too much of a rage to see her. But 
all at once they heard a great fierce voice close to them, 
which said, 44 You can not both have the place.” And 
she caught them, each in one of her front paws. 4 4 It is 
not yours,” she said to the old Wren. 44 You were too 
late this year. You are a cross bird, and you fight. I 
can not let you live.” 


144 “ PLEASE TELL ME A STORY ” 

And she ate her up. 

“And it is not yours,” she said to the young one. 
“The old Wren had it last year, you know. You have 
not been at all fair. I can not let you live.” 

So she ate her up too. 

Then the Cat went down the tree, and lay in the sun. 
“There is an end of that,” said she. 

HE DID IT FIRST. 

T HERE were once two Sheep who lived in a field. 
One was black, and one was white. In the same 
field lived a Horse and a Cow. 

Now the black Sheep was not at all a good sheep. But 
where he chose to go the white Sheep would go, and what 
he did the white Sheep would do. So they both did what 
they ought not to do. And when the white Sheep was 
asked why he did what he ought not to do, he would say, 
“The black Sheep did it first!” 

One day a Boy went through the field and did not shut 
the gate. The black Sheep saw it, and ran out of the 
field with great glee. The white Sheep saw it too, and 
they both went some distance. 

But soon they met a large Dog, who knew that they 
ought not to be out in the road. He ran at them, and bit 
them, and tore some wool off their backs. They were 
glad to run back and the white Sheep was quite ill with 
fright all the rest of the day. 

“But why did you go?” said the old Cow. 

“The black Sheep went,” said the white one. “He 
did it first.” 

Well, the gate was shut, but one day the black Sheep 
found a way out of the field through a hole in the hedge. 
He crept through the gap and of course the white Sheep 
crept through it as well. They got out on the moor, and 
went a long way. They thought it fine fun to be out 
there, with no one in sight. 

Soon the black Sheep, who was first, came to the edge 
of a deep pit. He gave a great jump and leaped into it. 
The white Sheep did not stop to think. He gave a 


I WANT TO SEE THE WORLD 


145 


great jump, and leaped in too. Down, down, down he 
fell, on to a heap of great stones. Both he and the black 
Sheep were much hurt. They could not get out, and were 
forced to lie there in great pain. 

By-and-bye some Men came by, and saw the Sheep in 
the pit. The Men got them out, and took them back to 
the field, and sent for some one to see what could be done 
for them. 

The Horse and the Cow, in great grief, came and stood 
by the side of the white Sheep as he lay on the grass. 
They were fond of him, in spite of all his faults. 

“Oh! why,” cried the Cow, with tears in her eyes (and 
the bell that was hung round her neck shook and rang 
as she leant over him)—“Why did you leave the field 
with the black Sheep ?” 

“He did it first,” said the white one, in a faint voice. 

“Then why did you jump down that steep place? 
Could you not see that it was a pit?” 

“I did not stop to see. He did it first,” said the white 
Sheep. Then, with a groan, he went on to ask, “How is 
the black Sheep? Is he here too? And what does the 
Man think who comes to see us?” 

“I grieve to say,” said the Cow, “that he thought you 
were both far too much hurt to live. The poor black 
Sheep, who lies close by, has just died, and I fear that 
you must die too.” 

“He did it first,” said the white Sheep. And with 
those words he died. 

I WANT TO SEE THE WORLD. 

T HERE was once a young Pig, who wished to see the 
world. He lived in a sty with his mother, and he 
used to talk to her of his great plans, and of what 
he would do by-and-bye when he went out in the world. 
He had been born in the sty, and the door was too high 
for him to see the yard. 

One day the farm boy did not shut the door of the sty. 
“Ho! Ho! now is my time!” cried the Pig. “Now 
Pin off! It is no good for you to come, you poor old 


146 “ PLEASE TELL ME A STORY ” 

he said to his mother. “You will be in my way, 
and in your own as well, for I know you do not care to 
see the world. I will come hack and let you have a look 
at me when I am a great Pig. ’’ 

i4 Take care, take care,” said his mother. “It may he 
well to go out in the world, if you must, but it is best to 
stop at home if ypu can. ’ 9 

“Poor old thing!” was all the young Pig said, and he 
turned up his snout as he said it. 

He went through the door, out in the yard. It was a 
square yard, with a high wall all round it, and a high 
door in one side of the wall. 

“So this is the world,” said he. “What a large place 
it is! Dear me! I must take care, or I shall be lost. I 
must keep close by the edge of the world, so that I may 
not lose my way.” 

So he walked on by the side of the wall, and soon saw 
a flock of Geese. They put out their heads and made a 
great noise as he went by. The young Pig did not like 
this, and he went on as fast as he could. But as soon as 
he had passed, he felt quite proud that he had seen such 
strange things. 

Next he saw two ducks in a pond, who cried, “Quack! 
quack ! 19 when they saw him. 

“What does that mean?” thought the Pig. But he 
could not find out. “How much I shall have to tell when 
I get home! ” he thought. 

By this time he had got to the high door. 

“This must be the end of the world,” said he, for he 
could not see through the door. 

He went on, still by the side of the wall, and met a 
large Cow, and when he saw her great horns, he thought 
he had best get out of her way as fast as he could. So he 
made haste, and soon found that he was back at the door 
of his own sty. 

4 ‘ So here you are ! 9 9 said his mother. 

‘ ‘ Here I am ! 9 9 cried the Pig. 

“And what have you seen?” 

“Oh! such things! I have been all around the world. 


i don't know 147 

I find it is square, and has a wall all around it, lest pigs 
should fall off. In fact, it is like a big sty. ’’ 

“Well, to be sure!” said his mother. 

“And the end of the world,” went on the young Pig, 
“is made of wood, and has two high posts, one on each 
side, to mark the place. The first thing that I saw in 
the world was a herd of such queer pigs. They had but 
two legs each, and they were quite white. Then I saw 
two pigs that could swim. There are but two in the 
world. Think of that! And they said, * Quack, quack.’ 9 9 
“What does that mean?” asked his mother. 

“Oh! it is what they say in the world,” said the young 
Pig, with a grand air. “It is no good to tell you what it 
means, for you have not been there, you know. Then I 
saw a huge red pig with two horns. There is but one 
pig of this sort in the whole world!” 

“Well, to be sure!” said his mother. 

“I should have made friends with him,” went on the 
young Pig,‘ ‘ but he did not look my way. And then, as I 
had gone all round the world, I came home. Ah! The 
world is a fine place, you poor old thing!” and he turned 
lip his snout once more. 

“I know all that is to be known now,” said he. “The 
farm boy may shut the door when he likes. I am a great 
pig now. I know the world! ’ 9 

“Well, to be sure!” said his mother. 

I DON’T KNOW. 

A YOUNG Rat once lived who would not take the 
pains to make up his mind. When the old Rats 
asked him if he would like to come out with them 
at night, he would say, “I don't know;” and if they said, 
“Would you like to stay in?” he still used the same 
words, “I don’t know.” He would not take the pains to 
choose, or to find out which he would like. 

An old gray Rat said to him one day— 

“No one will care for you, if you go on like this. You 
have no more mind than a blade of grass. It is good to 


148 “ PLEASE TELL ME A STORY ” 

give up your own way, but it is not good to have no way 
at all.’ ’ 

The young Rat sat up and looked wise, but said not a 
word. 

“Don’t you think so?” said the old gray Rat; and he 
gave a stamp with his hind feet, for he could not bear to 
see the young one so cool. 

“I don’t know,” was all the young Rat said, and then 
he walked off with slow steps, to think for an hour 
whether he should stay at home in the hole, or go out in 
the loft. 

One day there was a great noise in the loft. It was old, 
and the rain had soaked through some of the beams, so 
that the place was not safe to live in. On this day one 
of the joists gave way, and a beam fell with one end on 
the floor. The walls shook, and the hair of all the Rats 
stood on end with fright. 

‘ ‘ This will not do, ’’ said the old Rats, and they shook 
their heads as they spoke. “We must leave this place.” 

So they sent out scouts to look for a new home, and in 
the night the scouts came back, and said they had found 
an old barn, where there would be room and food for all. 

4 4 Then it is best to go at once, 1 ’ said the old Rat, who 
jwas the chief. “Form in line.” 

The Rats came forth from their holes, and stood on the 
floor in a long line. 

“Are all here?” and the old gray Rat looked around. 
“You all choose to go?” asked he. “Make up your 
minds at once.” 

“Yes, yes,” said all in the line. 

Just then the chief caught sight of young Grip (that 
was the young Rat’s name). He was not in line, nor 
was he out; he stood just by it. 

“You did not speak, Grip,” he said; “of course you 
Will come?” 

“I don’t know,” said Grip. 

“Don’t know! Why, you do not think it safe, do 
you?” 

“I don’t know,” said Grip. “The roof may not come 
down yet.” 


WHY? 


149 


“Well, stay then,” said the old Rat, “and serve you 
right if you are killed.” 

“I don’t know that I will stay,” said Grip. “The roof 
might come down soon.” 

“Well, we cannot wait for you to make up your mind. 
Oome or stay, as you like. Right about face, Rats! 
March!” 

And the long line marched out of the loft. Down the 
steps they went, one by one, and the young Rat looked 
on. 

“I think I will go,” he said; “but yet—I don’t know. 
It is nice and snug here.” 

The tail of the last Rat was lost to sight as he spoke. 
He went near the steps, and looked down. “I will go 
hack to my hole for a short time, just to make up my 
mind,” said he. 

That night there was a great crash. Down came 
beams, joists, tiles, and the whole roof. 

The next day some men came to look at the loft. They 
thought it odd to see no Rats, but at last, as one man 
moved a great tile, he saw a young Rat, quite dead, half 
in and half out of his hole. 

WHY? 

<r\T OW, you must not go in there ? ’ ’ said an old Dog 
j\^ to a Puppy, who stood on the white steps of a 
^ large house. “You must stay out now.” 

“Why?” asked the Puppy. For it was a trick (and 
a bad trick) of his to say “Why?” when he was told to 
do, or not to do, a thing. 

“Why,” said the old Dog. “I can not say why. Old 
as I am, I do not know why. But I do know that if you 
go in when it is a wet day like this, the Maid will drive 
you out.” 

“But why?” went on the Puppy. “It is not fair. 
There is no sense in it. I have been in the house some 
days, and no one turned me out, so why should they 
now?” 

“Those were fine days,” said the old Dog. 


150 “ PLEASE TELL ME A STORY ” 

‘‘Well, on the wet days I most want to be in,” said the 
Puppy. “And I don’t see why I should stay out. So 
here I go.” 

And so he did. 

But he soon found that though no one stopped to tell 
him “why” he must not come in, it was quite true that 
he might not. 

The first who saw him was the Cook, who had a broom 
in her hand. 

1 i That dirty Puppy! ’ ’ she cried. 4 ‘ Look at his feet! ’ ’ 

“What is wrong with my feet?” barked the Puppy. 

But she did not wait to tell him. She struck him with 
the broom, and he fled with a howl up the stairs. 

“Oh, that Puppy!” cried the Maid, as she saw the 
marks of his feet. “He ought not to come in the house 
at all, if he will not keep out on wet days.” 

“But why?” yelped the Puppy, as the Maid threw a 
broom at his head. 

Still no one told him why. But a man just then came 
up stairs. 

“Why, what a mess!” he said. “Oh,I see. It is that 
Puppy. I thought he knew he must not come in. ’ ’ 

“So I did, but I did not know why,” growled the 
Puppy, as with sore back and lame foot, he crept under a 
chair. 

“Come out, come out,” cried the Man. “I will not 
have you in the house at all. Out with you!” And he 
seized him with a strong hand, and chained him up in a 
stall. 

“You might have played on the grass, if you had 
stayed there,” he said. “But as you will come in the 
house when you ought not you must be kept where you 
can not do so.” 

And so the young Puppy had to stay in the dull stall. 
And when at last he was let out, he did not ask “Why?” 
if he was told to do, or not to do, a thing, but did as he 
ought at once, like a wise dog. 



YOU DARE NOT 


151 


YOU DARE NOT. 

U\T OU can’t jump that,” said a Goat to a Sheep. 
Y They were on a cliff near the sea. In the 
•*" cliff there was a deep, deep cleft or crack, 
which went down to the sea. It was not broad, but it 
was too wide for a Goat or a Sheep to cross. At high 
tide the waves of the sea foamed and raged in this cleft, 
and it was high tide now. 

The Goat and the Sheep stood on one side of the cleft. 

The Sheep looked, hut said not a word. She knew it 
was too much of a jump for her, but she was too vain 
to say so. 

“You dare not,” said the Goat. 

The Sheep did not like this. She would not s.ay it 
was true that she dared not, and she did not know what 
else to say. At last she thought of a way out. 

“You dare not!” said she. 

Now it was the Goat’s turn to look vexed. 

“You just say that to get out of it!” he cried. “You 
dare not, you know.” 

“You dare not, you know,” said the Sheep. 

“I do dare, then!” cried the Goat. 

“So do I,” said the Sheep. “How dare you say I do 
not dare?” 

“You do not!” cried the Goat. 

“You do not!” cried the Sheep. 

“I do! I do!” cried both at the same time. 

And at the same time both, as if with one voice, cried, 
“Prove it!” 

There was a pause. Both went back a few steps, ran 
to the edge of the cleft, and leapt with all their might. 

It was too wide. The Sheep fell in the midst of the 
cleft. The Goat just touched the edge of the side with 
his foot, hut could not gain sure hold, and he fell too. 

When the tide turned, a dead Goat and a dead Sheep 
were swept out to sea. 



152 


PLEASE TELL ME A STORY 


u 




I AM AS GOOD AS YOU. 

O NCE there was a Cat whose name was Smnt. But 
she chose to say it was Grim, for she thought that 
was a grand name. She liked to be thought much 
of, and to say to all she met, “I am as good as you.” 

One day she set out to see what could be seen in the 
world. 

First she came to a pen, in which was a great, fat Pig. 
She leapt up on the wall, and said, ‘ ‘ Good day, Pig . 91 
“Who are you?” said the Pig. 

“I? I am as good as you, I hope,” cried the Cat. 

“No doubt,” said the Pig, for he was not proud. And 
he was glad to find some one who would talk to him. 

The Cat was well pleased. “This Pig is a wise Pig,” 
thought she. “He knows what is what, I can see.” So 
she sat on the wall, and told him all the news. 

Then she went on, and met a Dog in the yard. 

“What do you want here?” said he in a gruff voice. 
“You are here,” cried the Cat. “And I am as good 
as you, I hope.” 

“Humph!” said the Dog. 

“He is not half as nice as the Pig,” thought the Cat. 
And she said, “I can not stay. It will be dark soon, and 
I must find a house to sleep in. Good day, Dog. ’ 1 
“Humph!” said the Dog. 

She went on some way, and came to what she thought 
was a house. She went in, and saw a Horse in a stall. 
He was blind, but he heard her come in, and he said, 
“Who is there?” 

“It is I,” said the Cat, in as loud a voice as she could. 
“What an odd voice,” thought the Horse. And he 
said, “But who are you?” 

“I am as good as you,” said the Cat. 

“Are you a Horse?” 

“Well, I am not quite a Horse,” said the Cat. “But 
I am as good as one.” 

“What is your name?” said the Horse. 

“My name is the great Grim.” 









A PICNIC PARTY 

FROM THE PAINTING BY LUDWIG KNAUS 
A beautiful scene of children’s out-door enjoyment by a 
German painter whose heart is big as the world is wide. The 
sweet lesson taught by this charming picture is one which all 
may take to heart. That Heaven-born instinct:— 

“ Meek and lowly, 

Pure and holy, 

First among the blessed three 
Heaven-born art thou, Charity.”— 
is never more fine'y exemplified than when the well-to-do little 
ones share their pleasures with those less fortunate. 








THAT IS NOTHING TO ME 


155 


“And how tall are you? For I can not see, you 
know.” 

“My head is as high as the top of the door,” said the 
Cat. And, in fact, so it was, for she had got up on to 
the top of the door, where there was a nice broad ledge 
for her to sit on. 

“How grand you must be!” said the Horse. “Will 
you share my stall, if you have no place to sleep in?” 

“Thank you,” said the Cat, “you are most kind. If 
you will take care to leave room for me, I will come when 
it gets dark. But mind you leave room for me.” 

“I will,” said the Horse, and he went quite on one side 
of the stall. 

In the night the Cat came, and lay down on the straw. 
There she went to sleep. The Horse had not gone to 
sleep, but he did not hear her come in. 

“Why does not the great Grim come?” thought he. 
“I will let him have this side of the stall, I think. It is 
not so cold as the side near the door.” 

So he went to the side by the door. As he did so, he 
trod on the Cat’s tail. 

“Mew!” cried she. 

“Why, what can that be?” said he. “You must move 
out of the way, if you please.” But as he spoke, he put 
his hoof on the Cat’s head. There was one loud 4 ‘ Mew! ’ 9 
Then all was still. 

Next day the Horse heard the Groom come to the door, 
and say to a Boy, who was with him, “Why! there is a 
dead Cat in the stall!” 

“Poor thing!” thought the Horse. “But where can 
the great Grim be?” 

THAT IS NOTHING TO ME. 

A DOG once set out to go through the world and see 
all that was to be seen. He had been spoiled in 
his young days, and his heart was hard, so he 
did not care for the pains or the joys of those that he 
saw, as long as he was safe. In this way he lost half 
the joys that he might have had, and was of no use in 


156 “ PLEASE TELL ME A STORY ” 

the world; but he did not know that, or, if he did know, 
he did not care. 

One day as he went through a field he saw a Sheep in 
a stream. 

“Help me! oh, help me!” she cried; “I shall be 
drowned. ’’ 

The Dog could have pulled her out, for he was a strong 
Dog, and could swim well; but he said in a calm voice, 
“That is nothing to me,” and went on. 

The Sheep was not drowned; the stream took her down 
to a place where the bank was low, and she was saved; 
but she owed the Dog no thanks for that. 

He went on, till he became hungry; soon he caught 
sight of a Cat, drinking from a pan of milk, which she 
seemed to like, for she purred as she lapped at it. 

“Give me some of your milk,” cried the Dog. 

But the Cat only arched her back, and growled, so the 
Dog drove her from the pan with a snarl which showed 
his great teeth. 

“Oh, do not take it all, pray!” cried the Cat. “It is 
all I shall have; I do not have milk more than once in a 
day.” 

“That is nothing to me,” said the Dog; and he drank 
it all up, and went on, well pleased. 

Day after day he was the same. He would not help a 
poor Cow that was shut out of her field, though he knew 
of a gap in the hedge by which she could have gone. He 
would not take the pains to point out the way to the old 
oak in the wood, when a young Bird, who had strayed too 
far from its nest, asked him. To each and all he said, 
“It is nothing to me.” 

At last he came to a great forest. He was tired, and 
not quite well too, for he had found a large piece of meat, 
all of which he ate at one meal. So he thought he must 
rest for a time, though he had heard it was not a safe 
place to sleep in, for wolves were there. 

Very soon he went to sleep. 

In his sleep he dreamed that a great Wolf came out 
of the wood and seized him. 

“Save me! save me!” he cried. 


GREEDY JICK 


157 


“Why should I save you?” said the Wolf, with a fierce 
gleam in his eye. “Is there one who would say a good 
word for you?” 

At this the Sheep, who had asked the Dog to help her, 
came out of the forest. 

“I have a word to say,” she said, in a grave voice, 
“but it is not a good word. This Dog would not help 
me out of the water. ‘It is nothing to me’ if you kill 
him.’ ’ 

“Oh!” groaned the poor Dog. “Is there none who 
will say a kind word.’ ’ 

Then came the Cat. “I do not care if you kill him,” 
she said to the Wolf. “ ‘It is nothing to me.’ He did 
not care for me when he drank all my milk . 99 

The Cow came next. “Do as you like,” she said. 
“He is no good. ‘It is nothing to me’ what is done with 
him, for he would not help me out of the field.” 

And then came a crowd of Beasts and Birds, and they 
stood around and cried with one voice, “Do as you will 
with him. ‘It is nothing to us/ ” 

The Dog’s fear in his dream was so great that he woke. 
How great was his joy to find that no Wolf was near! 

“But it might have been true!” he thought. “I will 
mend my ways. I will not go through the world as I 
have done; and I will not say of those who live in the 
same world with me that their joy, or grief, or pain, is 
‘Nothing to me!’ I will help others as I wish them to 
help me.” 


GREEDY JICK. 


ICK and Jock were two young Rooks, who lived at 



the top of a tall tree in a copse. They were quite 


^ young, and could not get their own food yet, but 
though they were of the same age, they were not the 
same in some things. 

When the old birds brought food to the nest, Jick 
would not wait for his fair turn. He called out “More, 
more,” when he had just had some, and as he was a fine 
young bird, and Jock was not, Jick was the pet of the 
old Rooks, and so had more than was good for him. while 


158 “ PLEASE TELL ME A STORY ” 

poor Jock had less. All the fat worms fell to Jick’s 
share; day by day he grew more fat, and still called out, 
“More, more. ,, 

Jock soon found out that he should not be well off till 
he could get his own food. So he tried to hop and fly 
soon, and went through all the drill that old Rooks teach 
their young ones, and most of the Rooks in the copse said 
he got on well, and were grieved to see him so lean and 
thin. But Jick, who had all done for him, did not care 
to find food, or to fly. He grew so fat that he lay all day 
in the nest, and blinked his eyes. 

“You spoil that child!” said all the wise Rooks to those 
who brought Jick food. “He will be the worse for it, you 
will see.” 

“0 no! the pet!” they said. “When he asks in that 
sweet way for ‘More, more!’ we must give it him.” 

So things went on, and all the young Rooks could get 
their own food but Jick. 

One day the old ones brought him a large worm. 

“That will make you a good meal,” they said, “and 
be quick, for we hear some boys are near, with their guns, 
and we want to be off.” 

Jick was quick, but as soon as the worm was gone, he 
gaped with his great beak, and cried, “More, more.” 

“One might have done for you,” said the old ones, 
“but what must be, must.” And off they flew to find 
more food. 

Once, twice, thrice, did they bring him “one more” 
worm, and then Jick, too fat and full to eat more, shut 
his eyes, and went to sleep. 

“Bang! bang!” went a gun. Two shots were fired, 
and the two old birds fell dead. But Jick did not know. 
Jock knew, and he, the one for whom they did not care, 
was the one who mourned when they fell. 

“Wake! wake!” he cried to Jick. But Jick did not 
wake. 

“Wake!” cried Jock once more. “Here is a boy at 
the foot of the tree. He will climb up. Wake, and fly.” 

But Jick still did not wake. 

The boy did climb, and Jock, when he drew near, gave 


IT IS TOO HARD 


159 


Jick a great peck to wake him up, and then flew to a 
bough near by. 

‘ ‘ There is one on that bough, ’ 1 cried the boy to a man 
who had the gun. “Don’t shoot him, though, he is too 
lean .’ 9 

“Could not shoot him if he was not,” said the man, 
“he is out of reach.” For Jock, when he heard the boy 
speak, had spread his wings, and flown off with ease. 

“Why do you go on?” cried the man to the boy. “It 
is too late in the year to find young Rooks in the nest.” 

“Is it, though?” asked the boy. “Here is a fat one. 
Why, he can not fly.’ 9 

Jick woke now. He stood on his feet, and tried to fly, 
but he could not. He was so fat and dull, and blinked 
so with his eyes, that the boy laughed. 

“You might as well have hopped into my hand as have 
sat there,” he said. 

“Save me, save me,” the Rook tried to say, but the 
words that came were, “More, more.” The boy did not 
know what they meant, though. 

So the two old ones and Jick were baked in the same 
pie. 

IT IS TOO HARD. 

U\T OU must learn to fly,” said a white Dove to her 
Y two young ones, as they sat in the nest. 

“I’ll try,” said Pluff, who was a good Dove. 

“ Oh, I can not, it is too hard,” said Duff. 

“Now, do as I do,” said the old Dove. “I will take 
care of you. Hop on this bough. Spread your wings 
as I do, and fly to this branch quite near.” 

Pluff tried. His heart beat, and his head swam, when 
he found himself first in the air, but he tried to do just 
as he was told, and in a short time (which seemed to him 
a long time), he found that he was safe on the branch. 

But Duff was not there. He still sat in the nest. 

“Come, Duff,” cried the old Dove. “You must come. 
If you do not learn to fly, you will die. You will starve, 
for I shall not feed you when you are big. And if a 


160 “ PLEASE TELL ME A STORY ” 

storm comes, and blows down the nest, you will be killed 
if you can not fly.” 

“Oh, I can not,” said Duff; “it is too hard.” 

“Why, Pluff has done it, and what Pluff has done, you 
can do. Come, hop on this bough. I will have you 
do it.” 

So Duff hopped on the bough. But he would not 
spread his wings. He would not try to do what he was 
told to do. He slunk back to the nest, and there he 
stayed. 

Day by day it was the same. And when Pluff could fly 
quite well, Duff could not fly at all. He had not once 
tried. 

One night a storm came. The tree in which the nest 
was, rocked to and fro. The nest was old, and at last it 
gave way. The old Dove and Pluff flew out as it fell, 
and were not hurt, but poor Duff, what of him? 

They cried to him to spread his wings; but he could 
not fly. 

“It is too hard,” he moaned as he fell on the hard 
ground. 

And so it was. He was killed by the fall. 

WHY NOT? 

T HERE was once a young Fish, who lived in the 
sea. One day, as he swam by the shore, he saw a 
small stream, which ran down to the sea through 
the sand. 

“I think I shall go up there when the tide is high,” 
said he. 

“Up where?” asked a big Fish, who heard him. 

“Up that stream, to be sure! Do you see how nice it 
looks? No rough waves or great rocks to bruise my 
smooth sides, and rub my bright scales. Yes! I shall 
go up there at high tide.” 

4 4 Pray do not think of such a thing! ’ 9 said the big Fish 
with a grave face. “The stream is not meant for you; 
your place is in the sea, and in the sea you should stay.” 
“But I do not want to stay,” said the young Fish, with 


WHY NOT? 


161 


a cross flap of his tail; “there are fish in the stream, I 
know, and why should not I be there ? 99 

“The stream is fresh,” said the old Fish, “and the sea 
is salt. If you tried to live in the stream you would die. 
Some fish can only live in the sea, and some only in the 
stream. You are meant to live in the sea, and it is no 
good for you to fret.” 

‘ ‘ I shall fret! I will fret!’ 9 said the young Fish;‘ ‘ that 

is, if I do not go. But I will go—so there!” 

“Take your own way, then.” 

“And as to what you say of the kinds of fish,” cried 
the young Fish, ‘ ‘ I know that the same do live in the sea 
and in the streams, or ponds, which are the same, of 
course. Crabs, and Shrimps, and Flat Fish live in both, 
I know; and why not IV 9 

“Why not? I am sick of your ‘Why not’s,’ ” said 
the old Fish. ‘ ‘ The same Crab or Shrimp could not live 
in the sea and in the stream. They are not the same 
kind.” 

“Well, then!” said the young Fish, “I know there is 
one kind that does live both in the sea and in the streams 
—I have seen some. They go up the streams, and stay 
there, and then come back. I know it. And they get so 
fat and big, and splash and dash about in the streams, 
and have such fun. ’ 9 

“They do! yes! But you are not one of them. You 
can not do what they do.” And the old Fish looked 
with a smile on the young one by his side. 

“I can not see why not,” said he. “You can stay 
here, old Stick-in-the-sand! but I shall not.” And he 
swam off. 

He went to a shoal of Sprats and told them what was 
in his mind. They all joined fins, and said they would 
do what no Sprat yet had done. “If some fish can do 

it, why not all?” said our young friend. 

And all said, “Why not?” 

One Sprat, who thought he was a great wit, made a 
verse, which they all sang as they set forth for the 
stream. It ran thus: 


162 “ PLEASE TELL ME A STORY ” 

"If some fish can, why not all? 

If the great, why not the small ? ” 

But the old Fish, who met them on their way, said they 
ought to add this third line— 

" Pride, they say, must have a fall,” 

which they did not like to hear. 

By help of the high tide, they went some way up the 
stream. They were in high glee, and laughed, and 
flapped their tails. 

“This is grand!” they cried. “We shall soon grow 
big and fat, and splash, and dash, and leap in the fresh 
stream.” 

But soon the tide began to slacken. They reached a 
small hole in the stream, and lay there. The salt tide 
passed back down the stream. 

“Ugh! how vile this water tastes!” said one. “Is this 
what they call fresh water?” 

“Ah! I feel sick—so sick!” cried our friend. “I 
shall die. I can not live in this. It is not like the sea. 
Let us go back.” 

‘ 1 Let us go back ! 19 they all cried. But when they tried* 
they found they were so far up the stream, and were in 
so deep a hole, that it was hard work to get back. 

“Oh! the sea! the dear old sea!” they said. “Shall 
we ever get back to it? We feel as if we should die in 
this stream. It makes us so weak and ill.’ 9 

It did make them ill. They gasped, and their bright 
skins looked dull and pale. Their fins seemed to have 
no strength, and some of the poor Sprats gave up at last, 
turned on their sides, and died in the stream. Some got 
back, and they reached the sea with great pains, but they 
did not look like the same fish which had set out a few 
hours since. The old fish were kind to them, and did not 
laugh at or scorn them. They could see at a glance what 
the poor things had gone through, but they used for a 
long time to tell the tale of the Sprats to any young fish 
who was heard to say, “Why not?” 


THOSE OLD FOLKS 


163 


THOSE OLD FOLKS. 

UJ DO NOT see why we should make our cells the 
same way as they have been made till now,” 
said a young Queen Bee to the crowd round her. 
“ Those old folks will have them with six sides. And 
why, pray? Let us try a new plan. We will have them 
round . 19 * 

“Yes, yes,” cried the bees with one voice, for they 
had just been put into a new hive, and could do as they 
liked. “Those old folks! We will see what we can do.” 

So they tried round cells, but soon found it was a 
great waste of room and of wax to make them. Then 
they tried square cells, but found the walls would not 
bear the weight when they were full. Then they tried 
two or three shapes at the same time, and made them fit 
as they could, but that gave them much more work, and 
was of no use. 

Time went on all the same, and their heads were so full 
of their own plans, and of scorn for “those old folks,” 
and they tried such odd ways, that at last no one knew 
what the old shape had been. 

“Let us try cells with six sides,” said a young Bee 
one day, when they had tried all the ways they could. 

“Six sides! ah, yes!” said the Queen, “What a bright 
thought . 11 

So they pulled down the old cells, and built them up 
with six sides. They were just right! 

“There,” cried they all with great joy, “see what we 
have found out! This is the best way that could be! If 
* those old folks’ could but see us now, and our new 
plans.” 

And those Bees still jeer at “those old folks!” 


Vol. I—10 



ORDER AND DISORDER. 

BY ANNA LETITIA BARBAULD. 


Mrs. [Anna Letitia] Barbauld (1743-1825) wrote numerous books 
and poems for children, many of which are forgotten. This is one of 
them that has always lived, and has interested generations of little girls. 

J ULIET was a clever, well-disposed girl, but apt to 
be heedless. 

She could learn her lessons very well, but com¬ 
monly as much time was taken up in getting her things 
together as in doing what she was set about. 

If she was at work, there was generally the housewife 
to seek in one place, and the thread-papers in another. 
The scissors were left in her pocket upstairs, and the 
thimble was rolling about the floor. In writing, the copy¬ 
book was generally missing, the ink dried up, and the 
pens, new and old, all tumbled about the cupboard. The 
slate and slate-pencil were never found together. In 
making her exercises, the English dictionary always came 
to hand instead of the French grammar; and when she 
was to read a chapter, she usually got hold of “Robin¬ 
son Crusoe,’’ or the “World Displayed,’’ instead of the 
Testament. 

Juliet’s mamma was almost tired of teaching her, so 
she sent her to make a visit to an old lady in the country, 
a very good woman, but rather strict with young folks. 
Here she was shut up in a room above stairs by herself 
after breakfast every day, till she had quite finished the 
tasks set her. 

This house was one of the very few that are still 
haunted by fairies. One of these, whose name was Dis¬ 
order, took a pleasure in plaguing poor Juliet. She was 
a frightful figure to look at, being crooked and squint- 
eyed, with her hair hanging about her face, and her dress 
put on all awry, and full of rents and tatters. 

164 


ORDER AND DISORDER 


165 


She prevailed on the old lady to let her set Juliet her 
tasks; so one morning she came up with a workbag full 
of threads of silk of all sorts of colors, mixed and en¬ 
tangled together, and a flower very nicely worked to 
copy. It was a pansy, and the gradual melting of its 
hues into one another was imitated with great accuracy 
and beauty. “Here, miss,” said she, “my mistress has 
sent you a piece of work to do, and she insists upon hav¬ 
ing it done before you come down to dinner. You will 
find all the materials in this bag.” 

Juliet took the flower and the bag, and turned out all 
the silks upon the table. She slowly pulled out a red and 
and a purple, and a blue and a yellow, and at length fixed 
upon one to begin working with. After taking two or 
three stitches, and looking at her model, she found an¬ 
other shade was wanted. This was to be hunted out 
from the bunch, and a long while it took her to find it. 
It was soon necessary to change it for another. 

Juliet saw that, in going on at this rate, it would take 
days instead of hours to work the flower, so she laid down 
the needle and fell a-crying. After this had continued 
some time she was startled at the sound of something 
stamping on the floor; and taking her handkerchief from 
her eyes, she spied a diminutive female figure advancing 
toward her. She was upright as an arrow, and had not 
so much as a hair out of its place, or the least article 
of her dress rumpled or discomposed. 

When she came up to Juliet, “My dear,” said she, “I 
heard you crying, and knowing you to be a good girl in 
the main, I am come to your assistance. My name is 
Order: your mamma is well acquainted with me, though 
this is the first time you ever saw me; but I hope we shall 
know one another better for the future.” 

She then jumped upon the table, and with a wand gave 
a tap upon the heap of entangled silk. Immediately the 
threads separated, and arranged themselves in a long 
row consisting of little skeins, in which all of the same 
color were collected together, those approaching nearest 
in shade being placed next each other. This done, she 
disappeared. 


166 


ORDER AND DISORDER 


Juliet, as soon as her surprise was over, resumed her 
work, and found it go on with ease and pleasure. She 
finished the flower by dinner-time, and obtained great 
praise for the neatness of the execution. 

The next day the ill-natured fairy came up, with a 
great book under her arm. “This,” said she, “is my 
mistress ’ house-hook, and she says you must draw out 
against dinner an exact account of what it has cost her 
last year in all the articles of housekeeping, includ¬ 
ing clothes, rent, taxes, wages, and the like. You must 
state separately the amount of every article, under the 
heads of baker, butcher, milliner, shoemaker, and so 
forth, taking special care not to miss a single thing en¬ 
tered down in the hook. Here is a quire of paper and a 
parcel of pens.” So saying, with a malicious grin, she 
left her. 

Juliet turned pale at the very thought of the task she 
had to perform. She opened the great book, and saw 
all the pages closely written, but in the most confused 
manner possible. Here was, “Paid Mr. Crusty for a 
week’s bread and baking,” so much. Then, “Paid Mr. 
Pinchtoe for shoes,” so much. “Paid half a year’s 
rent,” so much. Then came a butcher’s bill, succeeded 
by a milliner’s, and that by a tallow-chandler’s. 

“What shall I do?” cried poor Juliet—“where am I 
to begin, and how can I possibly pick out all these things? 
Was ever such a tedious, perplexing task? Oh that my 
good little creature were here again with her wand!” 

She had but just uttered these words when the fairy 
Order stood before her. “Don’t be startled, my dear,” 
said she; “I knew your wish, and made haste to comply 
with it. Let me see your book. ’ ’ 

She turned over a few leaves, and then cried, “I see 
my cross-grained sister has played you a trick. She has 
brought you the daybook instead of the ledger: but I 
will set the matter to rights instantly. ’ ’ 

She vanished, and presently returned with another 
book, in which she showed Juliet every one of the ar¬ 
ticles required, standing at the tops of the pages, and 
all the particulars entered under them from the day- 


ORDER AND DISORDER 


167 


book; so that there was nothing for her to do but cast 
up the sums, and copy out the heads with their amount 
in single lines. 

As Juliet was good at addition, she was not long in 
finishing the business, and at dinner produced her ac¬ 
count neatly written on one sheet of paper. 

The next day Juliet’s tormentor brought her up a 
large box full of letters stamped upon small bits of ivory, 
capitals and common letters of all sorts, but jumbled 
together promiscuously as if they had been shaken in a 
bag. 

“Now, miss,” said she, “before you come down to din¬ 
ner you must exactly copy out this poem in these ivory 
letters, placing them line by line on the floor of your 
room.” 

Juliet thought at first that this task would be pretty 
sport enough; but when she set about it she found such 
trouble in hunting out the letters she wanted, every one 
seeming to come to hand before the right one, that she 
proceeded very slowly; and the poem being a long one, it 
was plain that night would come before it was finished. 
Sitting down and crying for her kind friend was, there¬ 
fore, her only resource. 

Order was not far distant, for, indeed, she had been 
watching her proceedings all the while. She made her¬ 
self visible, und giving a tap on the letters with her 
wand, they immediately arranged themselves alphabet¬ 
ically in little double heaps, the small in one, and the 
great in the other. After this operation Julia’s task 
went on with such expedition that she called up the old 
lady an hour before dinner to be witness to its comple¬ 
tion. 

The good lady kissed her, and told her that as she 
hoped she was now made fully sensible of the benefits of 
order, and the inconveniences of disorder, she would not 
confine her any longer to work by herself at set tasks, 
but she should come and sit with her. 

Juliet took such pains to please her by doing every¬ 
thing with the greatest neatness and regularity, and re¬ 
forming all her careless habits, that when she was sent 


168 


ORDER AND DISORDER 


back to lier mother the following presents were made her, 
constantly to remind her of the beauty and advantage 
of order:— 

A cabinet of English coins, in which all the gold and 
silver money of the kings was arranged in the order of 
their reigns. 

A set of plaster casts of the Eoman emperors. 

A cabinet of beautiful shells, displayed according to 
the most approved system. 

A very complete box of water-colors, and another of 
crayons, sorted in all the shades of the primary colors. 

And a very nice housewife, with all the implements be¬ 
longing to a seamstress, and a good store of the best 
needles in sizes. 


EYES AND NO EYES; 

OR, THE ART OF SEEING. 


BY DR. JOHN AIKEN AND MRS. BARBAULD. 

Dr. John Aiken (1757-1822) was the brother of Mrs. Barbauld. 
Many great writers have owned their indebtedness to this story: 
Among them are Charles Kingsley, Professor Archibald Geikie and 
Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, who says, “ I have never seen anything 
half so good. ... I am always grateful to the writer of it for 
calling my attention to common things.” 

«TT7 ELL, Robert, where have you been walking this 
VV afternoon ?” said Mr. Andrews, to one of 
* " his pupils at the close of a holiday. 

Robert. “I have been, sir, to Broom Heath, and so 
around by the windmill upon Gamp Mount, and home 
through the meadows by the riverside/’ 

Mr. A. “Well, that’s a pleasant round.” 

Robert. “I thought it very dull, sir; I scarcely met 
with a single person. I had rather by half have gone 
along the turnpike road.” 

Mr. A. “Why, if seeing men and horses is your object, 
you would indeed have been better entertained upon the 
high road. But did you see William?” 

Robert. “We set out together, but he lagged behind 
in the lane, so I walked on and left him.” 

“Mr. A. “That was a pity. He would have been 
company for you.” 

Robert. “Oh, he is so tedious, always stopping to 
look at this thing and that. I had rather walk alone. I 
dare say he is not home yet.” 

Mr. A. “Here he comes. Well, William, where 
have you been?” 

William. “Oh, sir, the pleasantest walk! I went all 
over Broom Heath, and so up to the mill at the top of 

169 


170 


EYES AND NO EYES 


the hill, and then down among the green meadows by the 
side of the river.’’ 

Mr. A. “Why, that is just the round Robert has been 
taking, and he complains of its dulness, and prefers the 
high road.” 

William. “I wonder at that. I am sure I hardly 
took a step that did not delight me, and I brought home 
my handkerchief full of curiosities.” 

Mr. A. “Suppose, then, you give us some account of 
what amused you so much. I fancy it will be as new to 
Robert as to me.” 

William. “I will, sir. The lane leading to the heath, 
you know, is close and sandy, so I did not mind it much, 
but made the best of my way. However, I spied a curi¬ 
ous thing enough in the hedge. It was an old crab-apple 
tree, out of which grew a great bunch of something green, 
quite different from the tree itself. Here is a branch 
of it.” 

Mr. A. Ah! this is mistletoe, a plant of great fame 
for the use made of it by the Druids of old in their re¬ 
ligious rites and incantations. It bears a very slimy 
white berry, of which birdlime may be made. It is one 
of those plants which do not grow in the ground by a 
root of their own, but fix themselves upon other plants, 
whence they have been styled parasitical, as being hang¬ 
ers-on or dependants. It was the mistletoe of the oak 
that the Druids particularly honored.” 

William. “A little farther on I saw a green wood¬ 
pecker fly to a tree and run up the trunk like a cat.” 

Mr. A. “That was to seek for insects in the bark, on 
which they live. They bore holes with their strong bills 
for that purpose, and sometimes do damage to the trees 
by it.” 

William. “What beautiful birds they are!” 

Mr. A. “Yes; they have been called, from their color 
and size, the English parrot.” 

William. “When I got upon the open heath, how 
charming it was! The air seemed so fresh, and the pros¬ 
pect on every side so free and unbounded! Then it was 
all covered with gay flowers, many of which I had never 


OR, THE ART OF SEEING 


171 


observed before. There were at least three kinds of 
heath (I have them in my handkerchief here), and gorse, 
and broom, and bell-flower, and many others of all colors, 
that I will beg you presently to tell me the names of.” 

Mr. A. “That I will readily.” 

William. “I saw, too, several birds that were new 
to me. There was a pretty grayish one, of the size of a 
lark, that was hopping about some great stones; and when 
he flew he showed a great deal of white above his tail. ’ ’ 

Mr. A. “That was a wheatear. They are reckoned 
very delicious birds to eat, and frequent the open downs 
in Sussex, and some other counties, in great numbers.” 

William. “There was a flock of lapwings upon a 
marshy part of the heath that amused me much. As I 
came near them, some of them kept flying round and 
round just over my head, and crying 4 pewit’ so distinctly 
one might fancy they almost spoke. I thought I should 
have caught one of them, for he flew as if one of his 
wings was broken, and often tumbled close to the ground; 
but, as I came near, he always made a shift to get away.” 

Mr. A. “Ha, ha! you were finely taken in, then! 
This was all an artifice of the bird’s to entice you away 
from its nest; for they build upon the bare ground, and 
their nests would easily be observed, did they not draw 
off the attention of intruders by their loud cries and coun¬ 
terfeit lameness.” 

William. “I wish I had known that, for he led me a 
long chase, often over shoes in water. However, it was 
the cause of my falling in with an old man and a boy who 
were cutting and piling up turf for fuel, and I had a 
good talk with them about the manner of preparing the 
turf, and the price at which it sells. They gave me, too, 
a creature I never saw before,—a young viper which they 
had just killed, together with its dam. I have seen 
several common snakes, but this is thicker in proportion 
and of a darker color than they are.” 

Mr. A. “True, vipers frequent those turfy, boggy 
grounds and I have known several turf-cutters bitten by 
them.” 

William. “They are very venomous, are they not?” 


172 


EYES AND NO EYES 


Mr. A. “Enough so to make their wounds painful and 
dangerous, though they seldom prove fatal.’’ 

William. “Well, I then took my course up to the 
windmill on the mount. I climbed up the steps of the 
mill in order to get a better view of the country round. 
What an extensive prospect! I counted fifteen church 
steeples, and I saw several gentlemen’s houses peeping 
out from the midst of green woods and plantations; and 
I could trace the windings of the river all along the low 
grounds, till it was lost behind a ridge of hills. But I’ll 
tell you what I mean to do, sir, if you will give me 
leave ’ ’ 

Mr. A. “What is that!” 

William. “I will go again, and take with me Carey’s 
country map, by which I shall probably he able to make 
out most of the places. ’ ’ 

Mr. A. “You shall have it, and I will go with you, 
and take my pocket spying-glass. ” 

William. “I shall be very glad of that. Well, a 
thought struck me, that as the hill is called Camp Mount, 
there might probably he some remains of ditches and 
mounds with which I have read that camps were sur¬ 
rounded. And I really believe I discovered something 
of that sort running round one side of the mount. ’ ’ 

Mr. A. “Very likely you might. I know antiquaries 
have described such remains as existing there, which 
some suppose to be Roman, other Danish. We will ex¬ 
amine them further when we go.” 

William. “From the hill I went straight down to the 
meadows below, and walked on the side of a brook that 
runs into the river. It was bordered with reeds and 
flags and tall flowering plants, quite different from those 
I had seen on the heath. As I was getting down the 
bank to reach one of them, I heard something plunge into 
the water near me. It was a large water-rat, and I saw it 
swim over to the other side, and go into its hole. There 
were a great many large dragon-flies all about the 
stream. I caught one of the finest, and have him here 
in a leaf. But how I longed to catch a bird that I 
saw hovering over the water, and every now and then 


OR, THE ART OF SEEING 


173 


darting down into it! It was all over a mixture of the 
most beautiful green and blue, with some orange color. 
It was somewhat less than a thrush, and had a large head 
and bill, and a short tail.” 

Mr. A. “I can tell you what that bird was—a king¬ 
fisher, the celebrated halcyon of the ancients, about which 
so many tales are told. It lives on fish, which it catches 
in the manner you saw. It builds in holes in the banks, 
and is a shy, retired bird, never to be seen far from the 
stream where it lives.’ ’ 

William. “I must try to get another sight of him, 
for I never saw a bird that pleased me so much. Well, 
I followed this little brook till it entered the river, and 
then took the path that runs along the bank. On the op¬ 
posite side I observed several little birds running along 
the shore, and making a piping noise. They were brown 
and white, and about as big as a snipe.” 

Mr. A. “I suppose they were sand-pipers, one of the 
numerous family of birds that get their living by wading 
among the shallows, and picking up worms and insects.” 

William. “ There were a great many swallows, too, 
sporting upon the surface of the water, that entertained 
me with their motions. Sometimes they dashed into the 
stream; sometimes they pursued one another so quick, 
that the eye could scarcely follow them. In one place, 
where a high, steep sandbank rose directly above the 
river, I observed many of them go in and out of holes 
bored in the bank.” 

Mr. A. 4 ‘ Those were sand-martins, the smallest of 
our species of swallows. They are of a mouse-color 
above, and white beneath. They make their nests and 
bring up their young in these holes, which run a great 
way in, and by their situation are secure from all plun¬ 
derers.” 

William. “A little farther on I saw a man in a boat, 
who was catching eels in an odd way. He had a long 
pole with broad iron prongs at the end, just like Nep¬ 
tune’s trident, only there were five instead of three. 
This he pushed straight down among the mud in the 


174 


EYES AND NO EYES 


deepest parts of the river, and fetched up the eels stick- 
ing between the prongs.’’ 

Mr. A. “I have seen this method: it is called the 
spearing of eels.” 

William. 4 ‘ While I was looking at him a heron came 
flying over my head, with his large flapping wings. He 
lit at the next turn of the river, and I crept softly behind 
the bank to watch his motions. He had waded into the 
water as far as his long legs would carry him, and was 
standing with his neck drawn in, looking intently on the 
stream. Presently he darted his long bill as quick as 
lightning into the water, and drew out a fish, which he 
swallowed. I saw him catch another in the same man¬ 
ner. He then took alarm at some noise I made, and flew 
away slowly to a wood at some distance, where he 
alighted. ’ ’ 

Mr. A. “Probably his nest was there, for herons build 
upon the loftiest trees they can find, and sometimes in so¬ 
ciety together, like rooks. Formerly, when these birds 
were valued for the amusement of hawking, many gentle¬ 
men had their heronries, and a few are still remaining. ’ ’ 

William. “I think they are the largest wild birds we 
have.” 

Mr. A. “They are of a great length and spread of 
wing, but their bodies are comparatively small.” 

William. “I then turned homeward across the mead¬ 
ows, where I rested awhile to look at a large flock of 
starlings, which kept flying about at no great distance. 
I could not tell at first what to make of them, for they 
rose all together from the ground as thick as a swarm of 
bees, and formed themselves into a kind of black cloud, 
hovering over the field. After taking a short round they 
settled again, and presently rose once more in the same 
manner. I dare say there were hundreds of them.” 

Mr. A. “Perhaps so; for in the fenny countries their 
flocks are so numerous that they break down whole acres 
of reeds by settling on them. This disposition of star¬ 
lings to fly in close swarms was observed even by Homer, 
who compares the foe flying from one of his heroes to a 


OR, THE ART OF SEEING 175 

cloud of starlings retiring dismayed at the approach of 
the hawk. ’’ 

William. “ After I had left the meadows, I crossed 
the corn-fields on the way to our house, and passed close 
by a deep marl-pit. Looking into it I saw in one of the 
sides a cluster of what I took to be shells, and, upon going 
down, I picked up a clod of marl, which was quite full of 
them; but how sea-shells could get there, I cannot im¬ 
agine. ’’ 

Mr. A. “I do not wonder at your surprise, since many 
philosophers have been much perplexed to account for the 
same appearance. It is not uncommon to find great 
quantities of shells and relics of marine animals even in 
the bowels of high mountains, very remote from the sea. 
They are certainly proofs that the earth was once in a 
very different state from what it is at present. When 
you study geology you will know more on this subject.’’ 

William. “I reached the high field next our house, 
just as the sun was setting, and I stood looking at it till it 
was quite lost. What a glorious sight! The clouds were 
tinged with purple and crimson and yellow of all shades 
and hues, and the clear sky varied from blue to a fine 
green at the horizon. But how large the sun appears just 
as it sets! I think it seems twice as big as when it is 
overhead . 9 9 

Mr. A. 1 1 It does so; and you may probably have ob¬ 
served the same apparent enlargement of the moon at its 
rising . 9 9 

William. “I have; but pray what is the reason of 
this ? 9 9 

Mr. A. “It is an optical illusion, depending upon 
principles which I cannot well explain to you till you 
know more of that branch of science. But what a num¬ 
ber of new ideas this afternoon’s walk has afforded you! 
I do not wonder that you found it amusing; it has been 
very instructive, too. Did you see nothing of all these 
sights, Robert?” 

Robert. 4 4 1 saw some of them, but I did not take par¬ 
ticular notice of them.” 

Mr. A. “Why not?” 


176 


EYES AND NO EYES 


Robekt. “I don’t know. I did not care about them, 
and I made the best of my way home. ’ ’ 

Mb. A. 4 ‘ That would have been right if you had been 
sent with a message; but as you only walked for amuse¬ 
ment, it would have been wiser to have sought out as 
many sources of it as possible. But so it is one person 
walks through the world with his eyes open, and another 
with them shut; and upon this difference depends all the 
superiority of knowledge the one acquires above the 
other. 

I have known sailors who had been in all the quarters 
of the world, and could tell you nothing but the signs 
of the houses they frequented in the different ports, 
and the price and quality of the food and drink. On 
the other hand, a Franklin could not cross the Channel, 
without making some observations useful to mankind. 
While many a vacant, thoughtless youth is whirled 
throughout Europe without gaining a single idea worth 
crossing a street for, the observing eye and inquiring 
mind find matter of improvement and delight in every 
ramble in town or country. Do you, then, William, con¬ 
tinue to make use of your eyes; and you, Robert, learn 
that eyes were given you to use.” 




















ROMAN STREET BOYS 

FROM THE PAINTING BY T. J. MAEST 

How universal and how alike the play instinct is, is well 
presented in this picture. How many American boys think 
when they play at leap-frog that the boys all over the world 
play the same old game in the same old way? These boys of 
Italy are playing it among the ruins of Old Rome, while ours 
are doing the same act in this New World. 








THE THREE GIANTS. 


BY JANE H. MARCET. 

Mrs. [Jane H.] Marcet (1768-1858) wrote a book called “ Tales 
of Political Economy,” very much thought of in its day, but now 
quite old-fashioned. This story of hers, however, has been a favorite 
ever since it was written. 

O NCE upon a time, a poor man who had a large fam¬ 
ily left England to find a better living for himself 
across the seas. There were many others on 
board the ship, and for a time all went well; but when 
they were nearing the end of their journey, a great storm 
arose, the winds blew, the waves rose and roared, and 
broke upon the ship; and at last they were very glad 
to be able to let her drift aground on the nearest land, 
which they found to be an island on which no one was 
living. 

They all got safely to shore; and as the ship was broken 
up by the wind and the waves, they were able to get many 
planks, and nails, and other useful things from the ship, 
and from its cargo, with which they built themselves 
houses, made spades and ploughs, so that they were not 
so badly off after all. They had plenty of corn to last 
them until they could grow some more, and for a time all 
went well. But after they had got a good crop of corn, 
they had to grind it into flour, and this took a long time. 
There were no flour-mills on the island, and John Jobson 
—for that was the name of the laboring man—had to 
spend hours every day grinding the grain into flour for 
his wife and family to eat. 

One day, after he had been grinding until his back 
ached and his arms were very tired, he began to be in de¬ 
spair. If it took him so much time grinding his grain, he 
would have no time left to look after the little farm which 
he had laid out. His little boys, although they had great 

179 


180 


THE THREE GIANTS 


appetites and ate as much bread as their mother could 
make out of the flour which their father ground between 
the two millstones, were not strong enough to help him. 
All the other settlers were just in the same position. 
They had no machines to do any work for them. Every¬ 
thing had to be done with their hands. There were no 
people to hire as servants; and if there had been, they 
could not have paid them any wages, for they were poor 
and had no money. So Jobson became very down¬ 
hearted, and not knowing what to do, thought he would 
take a stroll in the country and think over things. 

He climbed up some rising ground, and walked a long 
way among the hills, wondering what on earth he should 
do if he could get no help. He was going up a little val¬ 
ley, which turned suddenly, and there to his great aston¬ 
ishment he saw a monstrous giant. He was terribly 
scared, and would have run away as hard as he possibly 
could, but on taking a second look at the giant he saw 
that he was asleep. Jobson looked again, and wondered 
at the immense size of the giant. He could hardly see to 
the end of him, and he saw that he was enormously 
strong; yet he looked so harmless and good-humored, that 
Jobson stood gazing on him till his fear was nearly over. 
He was clad in a robe of dazzling brightness where the 
sun shone upon it, but the greater part was shaded by the 
trees; and it reflected all their different colors, which 
made it look like a green changing silk. As Jobson stood, 
lost in amazement, the giant opened his eyes, and turned 
towards him with a good-humored smile. 

As soon as Jobson saw him open his eyes he started to 
run again, feeling sure that he could have no chance if so 
huge a giant were to catch him; but as he ran the giant 
spoke. He was still lying down on his back in the grass, 
and his voice was gentle and kind. 

“Do not be afraid,” he said. “I will do you no harm.” 

“But you are so big,” said Jobson, looking timidly at 
the giant, and making ready to run the moment the giant 
stirred. 

But the giant did not stir. He said, “Yes, I am very 
strong and very big, but I will do you no harm.” 


THE THREE GIANTS 


181 


As he still lay and smiled kindly, Jobson came nearer 
to him, and at last all fear began to leave him. Then he 
asked the giant who he was. 

“My name,” said the giant, “is Aquafluens.” 

“And where do yon liver’ said Jobson. 

“I live in the island. I have always lived here, long 
before you came.” 

“Then does it belong to you?” said Jobson, fearing 
that the giant might treat him as a trespasser. 

‘I do not know,” said the giant. “What does ‘belong’ 
mean?” 

Jobson thought it was a queer question, but said noth¬ 
ing. Then Jobson began to think whether it might be 
possible to get this good-natured giant, who seemed so 
strong, to help him in his work. “Do you ever work?” 
he said to the giant. 

“Oh, yes,” said he; “I can work if you will set me 
work to do. I like it. All work is play to me.” 

Then Jobson’s heart was glad within him, and he 
thought to himself, “Here is one who could grind all my 
corn with his little finger, but dare I ask him?” So he 
thought for a time, and then said, “You said you would 
work for any one?” 

“Yes,” said Aquafluens, gently, “for any one who will 
teach me to work.” 

“Then,” said Jobson, “would you work for me?” 

“Yes,” said the giant; “if you will teach me.” 

“But what wages must I pay you?” asked Jobson. 

Then the giant laughed, and said, “What queer words 
you use. You say ‘belong.’ What does ‘belong’ mean? 
I do not know. You say ‘wages.’ What are ‘wages?' 
I have never heard of them.” 

At this Jobson thought the giant must be mad, and he 
was a little afraid; then again he thought to himself, 
“Perhaps he is not mad, but only weak in his head. 
Giants, they say, are often not very wise.” So he tried 
to explain. ‘‘ What shall I give you if you work for me?” 

“Give me?” said the giant; “what a joke! You need 
give me nothing, I will work for you for love.” 

Then Jobson could hardly believe his ears, but he 

Vol. I—11 


182 


THE THREE GIANTS 


thought he would go home at once and tell his wife the 
good news, that he had got a great, strong giant who 
would work for him for nothing. 

4 ‘ Where are you going?” said the giant. 

“I am going home to tell my wife.” 

“Had you not better let me carry you?” said the giant. 

Then Jobson was frightened in his heart. “Perhaps 
if I say yes the giant will swallow me alive.” But he did 
not tell him so. 

“How can you carry me?” said he. 

“I can carry you any way you like,” said the giant, “so 
long as the road goes down hill.” 

“Oh, it is down hill all the way!” said Jobson. 

“Then,” said he, “you must get upon my back, and I 
will carry you there as quick as you like.” 

Jobson was afraid, for when he came to look at the 
giant’s back, and put his hand upon it, it sank right in; 
then he saw that the skin was so soft that, when you 
pressed upon it, it gave way under your hand, or your 
foot, and you seemed to sink right into the giant’s back. 
So Jobson was terrified, and screamed as he pulled his 
hand out of the hole that he had made in the giant; but 
to his surprise the hole closed up, just as if he had never 
thrust his hand in. But his hand was wet with the giant’s 
blood. It was such queer blood; it was quite cold, and it 
had no color. 

Then the giant said, ‘ ‘ That will never do, for you are so 
small and so heavy for your little size, that you would 
sink into me if you tried to sit on my hack. ’ ’ 

“But what can I do?” said Jobson. The giant took 
a tree-trunk which was lying close at hand, and put it on 
his shoulder. “Now,” said he, “jump onto this trunk, 
and I will carry you safely. ’ ’ 

Jobson was very frightened when he sat on the log, for 
he thought nothing would he more likely than for the log 
and himself to sink out of sight in the giant’s body, but 
he soon found that although the log sank in a little way, 
it did not sink in far enough for him to touch the giant’s 
body with his feet. He was very glad, for he felt all wet 
and cold where his arm seemed to have gone through the 


THE THREE GIANTS 


183 


giant’s skin. “Yon had better have a pole with you to 
steady yourself with.” Jobson picked up a long stick, 
and climbed up once more onto the giant’s shoulders, 
where the great log lay; he seated himself, and waited 
with terror for the giant’s movement. He thought that 
if he had seven-league boots he might throw him up into 
the air. He would fall off, he was sure; but, to his great 
surprise, the giant neither jumped, nor stepped, nor ran; 
he seemed in the strangest way to glide, without making 
any noise, down the valley, across the hill to the place 
where his cottage stood. When they came within sight 
of the cottage his wife and children were standing on a 
little hillock looking for him, and when they saw him 
seated on the shoulders of this strange monster they 
nearly had a fit with fright. The children ran into the 
house, and the wife fell at the feet of the great giant, say¬ 
ing, “Have mercy on my poor husband!” But the giant 
laughed and lay down on the grass: then Jobson jumped 
off the trunk and told his wife of the glad news, that this 
was a good giant, and that he would do all their work for 
them. The children came out of the house and looked 
timidly at the monster, who soon closed his eyes and 
seemed to be sound asleep. 

Jobson went into the house to tell his wife all the won¬ 
derful story of the giant, but his wife did not seem to 
like the idea of employing the giant. 

“But he will work for nothing, wife,” said Jobson. 

The wife shook her head. “That is all very well,” she 
said; “but think of the food he will eat. He would swal¬ 
low all the food we have in the house for breakfast, and 
we should starve.” 

The husband scratched his head, and said he had never 
thought of that. “But,” he said, “let us go and ask him 
how much food we must give him.” 

“And what drink he will want, and where will you put 
him up!” said the wife. 

Jobson began to believe that his workman was not 
such a good bargain after all. 

So when they drew near to the giant, he opened his 
eyes and asked what was the matter. 


184 


THE THREE GIANTS 


Jobson said they were afraid they would not be able to 
put him up in their house, as he was too big to enter at 
the door. 

“Oli,” said the giant, “that does not matter, for I 
never live in a house. I will simply sleep here in the 
grass under the sky.” 

“But,” said Jobson, “we are afraid that we shall not 
be able to feed you.” 

“Feed me?” said the giant, laughing, with a little rip¬ 
ply murmur that shook all his body. “Who asked you 
for any food? I never eat anything.” 

Then Jobson’s wife was frightened, and said she was 
afraid that there must be something uncanny about him. 
But Jobson went on asking:— 

“What do you drink?” said he. 

“Only fresh water,” said the giant. 

Jobson was very pleased, and looking in triumph at 
his wife, said to him:— 

“And how much work can you do in a day?” 

“As much as you like,” said the giant. 

“But I mean,” said he, “how many hours will you 
work?” 

“As many hours as there are on the face of the clock,” 
said the giant. 

“You mean twelve,” said the wife. 

“No,” said the giant. “I mean all the hours that are 
in a day.” 

“What!” said Johnson, “never stop night or day? 
And do you never sleep?” 

“When I have nothing to do,” said the giant, “I sleep, 
but as long as you give me work I will go on working.” 

“But do you never get tired?” said Jobson. 

“Tired!” said the giant, “I don’t know what that is. 
That is another funny word. What a queer language 
you speak. What is being ‘tired’?” 

Then Jobson looked at his wife and his wife looked at 
him, and they said nothing for a little time. Then they 
asked him when he was ready to begin. 

“At once,” he said; “as soon as you have put things 
right for me ” 


THE THREE GIANTS 


185 


* ‘ What tilings ?” said they. 

“I told you I can only work going down hill. If you 
want me to work hard you must let me have some place 
that is very steep, and make a step ladder for me to go 
down on. If you will fix a wheel with steps on it, so that 
I can step on the steps and make the wheel go round I 
can do anything you like. ’ 9 

“Could you grind corn?” said Jobson’s wife. 

“I can grind stones,” said the giant, laughing. 

So Jobson and his wife set about building a mill with 
a step wheel for the giant. They connected a big wheel 
for the giant to step upon with grindstones on the inside 
of the mill, so when the giant stepped upon the wheel out¬ 
side, he made the millstones inside go round and round 
and grind the wheat. When it was all finished they came 
to the giant and asked him if he was ready to begin. 

4 ‘Yes,” he said. 

“Begin then,” said Jobson. 

And the giant slowly and steadily stepped first on one 
step of the wheel and then on another until it began to go 
round and round, and the millstones went round and 
round, and so it went on until the whole of a sack of corn 
was ground into flour, and still the giant went on, and on, 
and on. 

“Are you not tired?” said Jobson to him. 

“I don’t know what you mean,” said he. 

“Well, now,” said Jobson, “do you think you could get 
me some stones from the quarry?” 

“Easily,” said the giant. “But what have I to carry 
them in?” 

Then Jobson made a long box and put it upon the 
giant’s back; but he found that it was not so easy going, 
for the road was quite flat, and over and over again the 
giant stopped. He could go very well down hill, but on 
level ground he needed to be poked along with a long pole 
which Jobson carried. When it came to the least down 
hill, he went as quick as could be. This bothered Jobson 
a great deal, for he saw that if the giant could only go 
down hill, he could not be nearly so useful as if he could 
go both ways. So he spoke about it to the giant once, 


186 


THE THREE GIANTS 


and lie laughed and said: “Hum! you must get my 
brother; he could help me to go as quick along the level 
ground as I do when I am going down hill; but even he 
could not make me go up hill. Is there not plenty of 
work I can do without that ? * 9 

“ Certainly , 9 9 said Jobson; and soon he had the giant 
set to work to make all kinds of things. 

When he had ground all the corn, they took away the 
millstones and fixed up a saw which had come ashore 
from the wreck. They found that the giant could saw 
wood as well as he could grind corn. They asked him if 
he would bring down the trees from the hills, with which 
they could make planks to floor their cottage. 

“Nothing is easier,” said the giant; and when the logs 
came down, he sawed them all up into planks, and soon 
the Jobsons were so comfortable that they not only had 
enough planks for themselves, but they had more than 
they wanted, so they gave them to the neighbors. Every 
one was very anxious to find out if there were any more 
giants in the island, because they could see that Giant 
Aquafluens was more useful than twenty men. He never 
ate, he never slept, he only drank cold water, and day and 
night he would go on working as regularly as if he were 
a machine. Only, when the sun got very hot, and he could 
not get any water to drink, his strength seemed to wither 
away, but a good heavy shower of rain set him up in 
time, and then he would work away as hard as ever. 

One day Jobson asked him where this brother of his 
could be found. “You will find him usually on the hill¬ 
tops/ 9 said Aquafluens; “but occasionally he comes 
sweeping down, and disturbs me in the grass where I am 
lying.” 

“Can he do as much work as you?” 

“When he is in the humor, but sometimes he is not; 
and sometimes he gets into a frightful temper, until you 
think he is going to destroy everything. He even gets 
me mad sometimes,” said Aquafluens. 

At this Jobson was silent, and wondered greatly, for 
he had never seen his good giant in a passion. He told 
all this to a neighbor called Jackson, who was very anx- 


THE THREE GIANTS 


187 


ious to have a giant of his own; and no sooner did he 
hear that the stormy-tempered brother of Aqnafluens 
lived on the hilltops, than he went out into the mountains 
to see if he could find him. 

At length, one day, Jackson, climbing a high rock, saw 
a magnificent figure seated upon the summit. He could 
scarcely distinguish the shape for his eyes were dazzled 
by its brightness; but what struck him most were two 
enormous wings, as large as the sails of a ship, but thin 
and transparent as the wings of a gnat. Jackson 
doubted not but that this was the brother of Aquafluens. 
Alarmed at the account he had heard of the uncertainty 
of his temper, he hesitated whether to approach. The 
hope of gain, however, tempted him, and as he drew 
nearer he observed that he also had a smiling counte¬ 
nance. So mustering up courage he ventured to accost 
him, and inquire whether he was the person they had so 
long been in search of, and whether he would engage in 
his service. 

“My name is Ventosus,” cried the winged giant, “and 
I am ready to work for you, if you will let me have my 
own way. I am not of the low disposition of my brother, 
who plods on with the same uniform pace. I cannot help 
sometimes laughing at his slow motion, and I amuse my¬ 
self with ruffling his placid temper, in order to make him 
jog on a little faster. I frequently lend him a helping 
hand when he is laden with a heavy burden. I perch 
upon his bosom, and stretching out my wings I move with 
such rapidity as almost to lift him from the ground.’’ 

Jackson was astonished to hear Aquafluens accused 
of sluggishness; he told Ventosus what a prodigious 
quantity of work he had done for the colony. 

“He is a snail compared to me, for all that,” halloed 
out Ventosus, who had sometimes a very loud voice; and 
to show his rapidity he spread his wings, and was out of 
sight in a moment. 

Jackson was sadly frightened, lest he should be gone 
forever; but he soon returned, and consented to accom¬ 
pany Jackson home, on condition that he would settle 
him in an elevated spot of ground. 


188 


THE THREE GIANTS 


“My house is built on the brow of a hill,” said Jack- 
son, “and I shall place yours on the summit.” 

“Well,” said the giant, “if you will get me a couple 
of millstones, I will grind you as much corn in one hour 
as Aquafluens can in two. Like my brother, I work 
without food or wages; but then I have an independent 
spirit, I cannot bear confinement; I work only when I 
have a mind to it, and I follow no will but my own.” 

“This is not such a tractable giant as Aquafluens,” 
thought Jackson; “but he is still more powerful, so I 
must try to manage his temper as well as I can.” 

His wonderful form and the lightness of his wings ex¬ 
cited great admiration. Jackson immediately set about 
building a house on the hill for him to grind corn in, and 
meanwhile, Ventosus took a flight into the valley to see 
his brother. He found him carrying a heavy load of 
planks, which he had lately sawed, to their proprietor. 
They embraced each other, and Ventosus, being in a good 
humor, said, “Come, brother, let me help you forward 
with your load, you will never get on at this lazy pace.” 

“Lazy pace!” exclaimed one of the children, who was 
seated on the load of wood on the giant’s back; “why, 
there is no man who can walk half or quarter so fast.” 

“True,” replied Ventosus; “but we are not such pyg¬ 
mies as you.” 

So he seated himself beside the child, stretched out 
his wings, and off they flew with a rapidity which at 
first terrified the boy; but when he found he was quite 
safe, he was delighted to sail through the air almost as 
quickly as a bird flies. When they arrived, and the wood 
had been unloaded, Aquafluens said, “Now, brother, you 
may help me back again.” 

“Not I,” said Ventosus; “I am going on, straight for¬ 
ward. If you choose to go along with me, well and good; 
if not, you may make your way home as you please.” 

Aquafluens thought this very unkind, and he began to 
argue with his brother; but this only led to a dispute. 
Aquafluens’ temper was at length ruffled; Ventosus flew 
into a passion: he struggled with his brother, and roared 
louder than any wild beast. Aquafluens then lost all 


THE THREE GIANTS 


189 


self-command, and actually foamed with rage. The poor 
child stood at a distance, trembling with fear. He hardly 
knew the face of his old friend, so much was his counte¬ 
nance distorted by wrath; he looked as if he could almost 
have swallowed him up. At length, Ventosus disen¬ 
gaged himself from his brother, and flew out of his sight; 
but his sighs and moans were still heard afar off. Aqua- 
fluens also murmured loudly at the ill-treatment he had 
received; but he composed himself by degrees, and, 
taking the boy on his hack, slowly returned home. 

Jackson inquired eagerly after Ventosus, and when the 
child told him all that had happened, he was much 
alarmed for fear Ventosus should never return; and he 
was the more disappointed, as he had prepared every¬ 
thing for him to go to work. Ventosus, however, came 
back in the night, and when Jackson went to set him to 
work in the morning, he found that nearly half the corn 
was already ground. This was a wonderful perform¬ 
ance. Yet, upon the whole, Ventosus did not prove of 
such use to the colony as his brother. He would carry 
with astonishing quickness; hut then he would always 
carry his own way; so that it was necessary to know what 
direction he intended to take, before you could confide any 
goods to his charge; and then, when you thought them 
sure to arrive on account of the rapidity with which they 
were conveyed, Ventosus would sometimes suddenly 
change his mind, and veer about with the fickleness of a 
weathercock; so that the goods, instead of reaching their 
place of destination, were carried to some other place 
or brought to the spot whence they set out. This incon¬ 
venience could not happen with regard to grinding corn; 
but one of no less importance often did occur. Vento¬ 
sus, when not inclined to work, disappeared, and was 
nowhere to be found. 

The benefit derived from the labor of these two giants 
had so much improved the state of the colony that not 
only were the cottages well floored, and had good doors 
and window-shutters, but there was abundance of com¬ 
fortable furniture—bedsteads, tables, chairs, chests, and 
cupboards, as many as could be wished; and the men and 
1—11 


THE THREE GIANTS 


190 

women, now that they were relieved from the most la¬ 
borious work, could employ themselves in making a num¬ 
ber of things which before they had not time for. It was 
no wonder, therefore, that the desire to discover more 
giants was uppermost in men’s minds. 

They were always asking Aquafluens about where they 
could find another giant, for he was ever with them and 
never flew away, so they could always ask questions; 
while Ventosus used to fly away and disappear if they 
bothered him with questions which he did not like to 
answer. 

They hunted high and low for more giants, hut they 
found none. The heart of Aquafluens was grieved 
within him, that they should seek so much for a giant 
that did not need always to go down hill. So one day, 
after much doubt, he told Jobson that there was another 
giant who was stronger than he, and much more constant 
and regular in his work than Ventosus, who was here to¬ 
day and away tomorrow, and whom you could never be 
sure of. This giant was the strongest of all giants, but 
he was also dangerous. 

“I will then have nothing to do with him,” said 
Jobson. 

“Well,” said Aquafluens, 4 ‘if you know how to man¬ 
age him he will work for you.” 

“Can he go up hill?” said his little boy. 

“As easily as I can go down,” said Aquafluens. 

“And who is this giant?” said Jobson. 

“Alas,” said Aquafluens, mournfully, “he is my own 
son.” 

“Where is he?” 

“You can only bring him by a charm, and if you are 
not very careful, he may burst out and kill you.” 

“Is he so very violent?” said Jobson. 

“Very. His breath is scalding hot ; and he is a more 
expensive giant than either my brother or myself.” 

“Must you pay him, then?” said Jobson’s wife. 

“He will work without pay, but he needs to be kept 
hot. He will not work at all unless he is seated right on 
the top of blazing coals.” 


THE THREE GIANTS 


191 


“What a funny giant!” said Jobson’s little boy. 
“Does he not burn up?” 

“No, the hotter you make the fire the stronger he 
grows, but when the fire grows cold, all his strength 
seems to die.” 

The Jobsons had a long talk over this, and decided that 
they had better not have anything to do with this strange 
giant. But once, when they wanted a great deal of heavy 
stone carried up the hill, they were driven to ask Aqua- 
fluens if he would tell them the charm. 

“Yes,” said he; “it is very simple, but you must not 
be afraid.” 

“No,” said they, “we will not he afraid.” 

“Then take a little of my blood.” 

“Never!” said Jobson’s wife. 

“No, you do not need to be afraid,” said Aquafluens; 
“you only need to take a very little.” 

“And what must we do with it?” 

“You must put it into an iron pot, and then put it on 
the fire.” 

They were very loth to do this; but at last, their need 
being great, they did so. They were relieved to find 
that the taking of his blood did not seem to hurt the good, 
kind giant, and then they put the pot on the fire, and 
waited to see what would happen. After a time, they 
heard a singing noise, and they began to be frightened. 
At last out of the pot there came a cloudy vapor, which 
rose higher and higher and higher, until it went away. 
But they saw no giant. 

So they went to Aquafluens, and told him that the 
charm would not work. He asked them what they had 
done, and they told him, and he said, “But did I not tell 
you my son would never work unless you put him in 
prison? I will give you some more of my blood, and you 
must put it in an iron pot and put the lid on, and fasten 
it down tight, and then see what will happen.” 

So they did as the good giant said. They took some 
more of his blood, put it into the iron pot, and put on a 
heavy lid, and fastened it on tight, then they put it on 
the blajdng fire, and waited. This time they were ter- 


192 


THE THREE GIANTS 


ribly frightened, for after a time the iron pot burst into 
a thousand pieces, and blew all over the place, hurting 
Jobson’s wife on the head, and cutting Jobson’s hand. 
So they ran away frightened and told Aquafluens. 

“Ah,” he said, “I told you my son was a dangerous 
child, but he is very strong, and if you give him nothing 
to do he does mischief. So you must give him a handle to 
turn. If you do that, he will not burst anything, but will 
turn the handle as hard as ever you like.’’ 

And they did just as the giant told them, and they 
found that everything happened just so, for the new 
giant, whose name was Vaporifer, was a strong and will¬ 
ing worker. Up hill and down dale made no difference 
to him. He could carry and do everything they gave him 
to, but they must keep him hot, and they must give him 
a wheel to turn. If at any time he stopped they had to let 
him get out, otherwise, if he had no wheel to turn, and 
could not get out, he would blow his prison to pieces. 

Thus it came to pass that Ventosus was wanted very 
little, for Jobson and his friends liked Vaporifer, who 
was regular and steady in his ways, and could be relied 
upon always to do what was wanted. 

Aquafluens was still the most useful and the cheapest 
of all the giants, but his son Vaporifer was much 
stronger and more handy than his father. Nor was there 
any limit to what he could do if only they would give 
him plenty of heat and always let him have a wheel to 
turn. 

Now, then, who do you think were these three giants? 
Perhaps you have already guessed from their names, and 
from their description. The first giant, Aquafluens, is 
the great giant of running water, which will always run 
down hill, but which comes to a standstill on level ground, 
and cannot go up hill, no matter what happens. It is this 
great giant which turned all the water-mills, which 
ground the corn, and sawed the wood, and did all manner 
of work. Ventosus, his brother, is the wind which blow- 
eth whither it listeth, and sometimes lashes the water 
into stormy waves. While as to that of Vaporifer, you 
surely understand that it is nothing else but steam. 


THE THREE GIANTS 


193 


These three giants are real giants who are still doing 
their work day by day, and every day. There are no 
servants of man who have worked so cheaply, so untir¬ 
ingly, and so well. 


TRAVELLERS' WONDERS. 

BY DR. JOHN AIKEN AND MRS. BARBAULD. 


NE winter's evening, as Captain Compass was sit¬ 



ting by the fireside, with his children all around 


him, little Jack said to him, “Papa, pray tell us 
some stories about what you have seen in your voyages. 
I have been vastly entertained, while you were abroad, 
with Gulliver's Travels, and the Adventures of Sinbad, 
the Sailor, and I think as you have gone round and round 
the world, you must have met with things as wonderful 
as they did." 

“No, my dear," said the captain, “I never met with 
Lilliputians or Brobdingnagians, I assure you, nor ever 
saw the black loadstone mountains or the valley of dia¬ 
monds, but, to be sure, I have seen a great variety of peo¬ 
ple, and have noticed their different manners and ways 
of living; and if it will be any entertainment to you, I 
will tell you some curious things that I have observed." 

“Pray do, papa," cried Jack and all his brothers and 
sisters; so they drew close round him, and he began 
as follows:— 

“Well, then, I was once, about this time of the year, 
in a country where it was very cold, and the inhabitants 
had much ado to keep themselves from starving. They 
were clad partly in the skins of beasts, made smooth and 
soft by a particular art, but chiefly in garments made 
from the outward covering of a middle-sized quadruped 
which they used to cut off his back when he was alive. 
They dwelt in habitations part of which was sunk under¬ 
ground. The materials were either stones or earth 
hardened by fire; and so violent on that coast were the 
showers of wind and rain that many of the roofs were 
covered all over with stones. The walls of their houses 
had holes to let in light, but to prevent the cold air and 


194 


traveller's wonders 


195 


wet from coming in, they were covered by a sort of trans¬ 
parent stone made artificially of melted sand or flint. As 
wood was rather scarce, I know not what they would have 
done for their fires had they not discovered in the bowels 
of the earth a very extraordinary kind of stone which, 
when put among burning wood, caught fire and flamed 
like a torch.’’ 

“Dear me,” said Jack, “what a wonderful stone! I 
suppose it was like the things we call fire-stones, that 
shine so when we rub them together. ’ ’ 

“I don’t think they would burn,” replied the captain; 
“besides, these are of a darker color. 

“Well,—but their diet was remarkable,—some of them 
ate fish that had been hung up in the smoke till it was 
quite dry and hard; and along with it they ate either the 
roots of plants, or a sort of coarse black cake made of 
powdered seeds. These were the poorer class. The 
richer had a kind of cake which they were fond of daub¬ 
ing over with a greasy matter, that was the product of a 
large animal which lived among them. This grease they 
used, too, in almost all their dishes, and when fresh it 
really was not unpalatable. They likewise devoured the 
flesh of many birds and beasts when they could get it; 
and ate the leaves and other parts of a number of kinds 
of vegetables growing in the country, some absolutely 
raw, others variously prepared by the aid of fire. 

Another great article of food was the curd of milk, 
pressed into a hard mass and salted. It had so rank 
a smell that often persons of weak stomachs could 
not bear to come near it. For drink they made great 
use of the water in which certain dry leaves had 
been steeped. These leaves, I was told, came from a 
great distance. They had likewise a method of pre¬ 
paring a liquor of the seeds of a grass-like plant 
steeped in water, with the addition of a bitter herb, and 
then set to work or ferment. I was prevailed upon to 
taste it, and thought it at first nauseous enough, but 
in time I liked it pretty well. When a large quantity 
of the mixture is used, it becomes perfectly intoxicat¬ 
ing. But what astonished me most was their use of a 


196 


traveller’s wonders 


liquor so excessively hot and pungent that it seems 
like liquid fire. I once got a mouthful of it by mis¬ 
take, taking it for water, which it resembles in ap¬ 
pearance, but I thought it would instantly have taken 
away my breath. Indeed, people are not infrequently 
killed by it; and yet many of them will swallow it greed¬ 
ily, whenever they can get it. This, too, is said to be 
prepared from the seeds above mentioned, which are 
harmless and even valuable in their natural state, though 
made to yield such a pernicious juice. The strangest 
custom that I believe prevails in any nation, I found 
here, which was that some take a mighty pleasure in fill¬ 
ing their mouths full of smoke; and others in thrusting 
a nasty powder up their nostrils.” 

“I should think it would choke them,” said Jack. 

“It almost choked me,” answered his father, “only 
to stand by while they did it—but use, it is truly said, is 
second nature. 

“I was glad enough to leave this cold climate; and 
about half a year after I fell in with a people enjoying 
a delicious temperature and a country full of beauty and 
verdure. The trees and shrubs were furnished with a 
great variety of fruits which, with other vegetable prod¬ 
ucts, constituted a large part of the food of the inhabit¬ 
ants. I particularly relished certain berries growing 
in bunches, some white and some red, of a very pleasant 
sourish taste, and so transparent that one might see the 
seeds at their very centre. There were whole fields full 
of odoriferous flowers, which they told me were suc¬ 
ceeded by pods bearing seeds that afforded good nour¬ 
ishment to man and beast. A great variety of birds en¬ 
livened the groves and woods, among which I was greatly 
entertained by one that without any teaching spoke al¬ 
most as articulately as a parrot, though it was only the 
repetition of a single word. 

The people were gentle and civilized, and possessed 
many of the arts of life. Their dress was very various. 
Many were clad only in a thin cloth made of the long 
fibers of the stalk of a plant cultivated for the pur¬ 
pose, which they prepared by soaking in water and then 


TRAVELLER’S WONDERS 


197 


beating with large mallets. Men wore cloth woven from 
a sort of vegetable wool, growing in pods upon bushes. 
But the most singular material was a fine glossy 
stuff, used chiefly by the richer classes, which, as I 
was credibly informed, is manufactured out of the webs 
of caterpillars—a most wonderful circumstance, if we 
consider the immense number of caterpillars necessary 
to the production of so large a quantity of stuff as I 
saw used. The people are very fantastic in their dress, 
especially the women, whose apparel consists of a great 
number of articles impossible to be described, and 
strangely disguising the form of the body. In some in¬ 
stances they seem very cleanly, but in other cases the 
Hottentots can scarce go beyond them, particularly in the 
management of their hair, which is all matted and stiff¬ 
ened by the fat of swine and other animals mixed up 
with powders of various colors and ingredients. Like 
most Indian nations, they wear feathers in their head¬ 
dress. One thing surprised me much, which was, that 
they bring up in their homes an animal of the tiger kind, 
with formidable teeth and claws, which notwithstanding 
its natural ferocity, is played with and caressed by the 
most timid and delicate of their women.” 

“I am sure I would not play with it,” said Jack. 

“Why, you might get an ugly scratch with it if you 
did,” said the captain. 

“The language of this nation seems very harsh and 
unintelligible to a foreigner, yet they converse with one 
another with great ease and quickness. One of the odd¬ 
est customs is that which men use on saluting each other. 
Let the weather be what it will, they uncover their heads 
and remain uncovered for some time if they mean to be 
extraordinarily respectful.” 

“Why, that’s like pulling off our hats,” said Jack. 

“Ah, ha! papa,” cried Betsy, “I have found you out. 
You have been telling us of our own country, and what is 
done at home, all the while. ’ ’ 

“But,” said Jack, “we don’t burn stones, or eat grease 
and powdered seeds, or wear skins and caterpillar’s 
webs, or play with tigers,” 

Vol. 1—12 


198 


traveller’s wonders 


“No?” said the captain. “Pray, what are coals but 
stones; and is not butter grease; and corn, seeds; and 
leather, skins; and silk, the web of a kind of caterpillar? 
and may we not as well call a cat an animal of the tiger 
kind, as a tiger an animal of the cat kind? 

“ So if you recall what I have been describing, you will 
find, with Betsy’s help, that all the other wonderful 
things I have fold you of are matters familiar among our¬ 
selves. But I meant to show you that a foreigner might 
easily represent everything as equally strange and won¬ 
derful among us as we could do with respect to his coun¬ 
try; and also to make you sensible that we daily call a 
great many things by their names without ever inquir¬ 
ing into their nature and properties; so that in reality 
it is only their manners and not the things themselves 
with which we are acquainted.” 


THE DISCONTENTED PENDULUM. 


BY JANE TAYLOR. 


Jane Taylor (1783-1824) wrote many books for children in con¬ 
junction with her sister Ann. The sisters are perhaps best known 
by their “ Original Poems ” and “ Hymns for Infant Minds,” in which 
will be found, among other favorites, the famous “ Twinkle, Twinkle, 
Little Star.” 

N old clock, that had stood for fifty years in a 



farmer’s kitchen without giving its owner any 


“*■ cause of complaint, early one summer’s morning, 
before the family was stirring, suddenly stopped. Upon 
this the dial-plate (if we may credit the fable) changed 
countenance with alarm; the hands made an ineffectual 
effort to continue their course; the wheels remained mo¬ 
tionless with surprise; the weights hung speechless; each 
member felt disposed to lay the blame on the others. At 
length the dial instituted a formal inquiry into the cause 
of the stagnation; when hands, wheels, weights, with one 
voice protested their innocence. But now a faint tick was 
heard below, from the pendulum, who thus spoke:— 

“I confess myself to be the sole cause of the present 
stoppage; and am willing, for the general satisfaction, to 
assign my reasons. The truth is, that I am tired of tick¬ 
ing.” Upon hearing this, the old clock became so en¬ 
raged that it was on the point of striking. 

44 Lazy wire!” exclaimed the dial-plate, holding up its 
hands. 

6 ‘Very good,” replied the pendulum, “it is vastly easy 
for you, Mistress Dial, who have always, as everybody 
knows, set yourself up above me—it is vastly easy for 
you, I say, to accuse other people of laziness! You who 
have nothing to do all your life but to stare people in the 
face, and to amuse yourself with watching all that goes 
on in the kitchen! Think, I beseech you, how you would 


199 


200 


THE DISCONTENTED PENDULUM 


like to be shut up for life in this dark closet, and wag 
backwards and forwards year after year, as I do.” 

‘ 4 As to that,” said the dial, “is there not a window in 
your house on purpose for you to look through?” 

‘ ‘ For all that,’ ’ resumed the pendulum, “ it is very dark 
here; and although there is a window, I dare not stop, 
even for an instant, to look out. Besides, I am really 
weary of my way of life; and, if you please, I’ll tell you 
how I took this disgust at my employment. This morn¬ 
ing I happened to be calculating how many times I should 
have to tick in the course only of the next twenty- 
four hours; perhaps some of you, above there, can tell 
me the exact sum?” The minute-hand, being quick at 
figures, instantly replied, “Eighty-six thousand four 
hundred times.” 

“Exactly so,” replied the pendulum; “well, I appeal 
to you all if the thought of this was not enough to fa¬ 
tigue one? and when I began to multiply the strokes of 
one day by those of months and years, really it is no won¬ 
der if I felt discouraged at the prospect; so, after a great 
deal of reasoning and hesitation, thinks I to myself—‘I’ll 
stop!’ ” 

The dial could scarcely keep its countenance during 
this harangue; but resuming its gravity, thus replied:— 

“Dear Mr. Pendulum, I am really astonished that such 
a useful, industrious person as yourself should have been 
overcome by this sudden suggestion. It is true, you 
have done a great deal of work in your time. So have 
we all, and are likely to do; and although this may fatigue 
us to think of, the question is, whether it will fatigue us 
to do; would you now do me the favor to give about half 
a dozen strokes, to illustrate my argument?” 

The pendulum complied, and ticked six times at its 
usual pace. “Now,” resumed the dial, “may I be al¬ 
lowed to enquire if that exertion was at all fatiguing or 
disagreeable to you?” 

“Not in the least,” replied the pendulum; “it is not of 
six strokes that I complain, nor of sixty, but of millions.” 

“Very good,” replied the dial; “but recollect, that, 
although you may think of a million strokes in an instant, 


ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE SLAVES 


201 


you are required to execute but one; and that, however 
often you may hereafter have to swing, a moment will 
always be given you to swing in. ’’ 

“That consideration staggers me, I confess,” said the 
pendulum. 

“Then I hope,” added the dial-plate, “we shall all im¬ 
mediately return to our duty; for the maids will lie in 
bed till noon if we stand idling thus.” 

Upon this the weights, who had never been accused of 
light conduct, used all their influence in urging him to 
proceed; when as with one consent, the wheels began to 
turn, the hands began to move, the pendulum began to 
wag, and, to its credit, ticked as loud as ever; while a 
beam of the rising sun, that streamed through a hole in 
the kitchen-shutter, shining full upon the dial-plate, it 
brightened up as if nothing had been the matter. 

When the farmer came down to breakfast, he declared, 
upon looking at the clock, that his watch had gained half 
an hour in the night. 


ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE SLAVES. 

I T was a cold, rainy Sunday afternoon, and the children 
were tired of all their toys. They had played all the 
games they could think of, and sat disconsolately on 
the sofa in the living-room. Their parents had gone up¬ 
stairs to write letters, or sleep—it mattered little which. 

Ruth was the first to speak. ‘ 4 1 wish we could go some¬ 
where,” she declared, “some place like Jerusalem, or Da¬ 
mascus, or Samarcand.” 

“We’ve played at going to Jerusalem,” objected the 
brother with some disgust. “Fights would be better, 
only it’s Sunday and we’ve got to be quiet.” 

To his surprise, Ruth clapped her hands. “That’s 
just it,” she said. “That’s just what we will do. Don’t 
you see, Jack, we’ll make a litter-thing and ride around in 
it? I know how!” 


202 


ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE SLAVES 


In response to her imperious command, Jack slid down 
from the sofa, and dragged up the two huge wicker rock¬ 
ing chairs which stood on either side of the fireplace. 
Meanwhile Ruth had unfolded the big plaid shawl which 
hung over the sofa, and piled the cushions equally into 
the chairs. 

“Now, you sit down,” she directed, “and stretch out 
your legs, so that they come over into this chair.” Jack 
obeyed, as he generally did when Ruth was in earnest. 
She pulled him a little’ and carefully hooked his feet into 
the arms of the chair. 

“What are you doing?” he asked, but she paid no 
attention to him. Instead she was tucking the shawl over 
the top of his chair, and poking the corners through the 
spaces in the back. A smothered exclamation followed 
her careful dropping the shawl over his head. 

“Are you trying to smother me?” cried Jack from 
under the plaid. Ruth lifted the opposite edge, and care¬ 
fully crawled into the other seat. She locked her feet as 
she had done her brother’s, and then began to fasten the 
shawl over her own chair as she had before. Jack began 
to see what she was after, and helped as well as he could 
without pulling out his own end. 

“Now it’s all ready,” panted Ruth, as they sat in the 
dark cavern they had made. “You rock forward and I’ll 
rock back, so we can start it.” 

No sooner said than done. They swayed back and 
forth, and the shawl heaved and wobbled above them. 
Presently Ruth began. 

“Let’s play we’re going to Damascus, and this is the 
litter in which we travel. You can be a sheik and I’ll be 
your favorite wife.” 

“All right,” answered Jack. “Wait a minute while I 
think.” After a second he began, speaking with infinite 
dignity. 

“Do you know, Zuleika, why I have carried you away 
by night in this hasty fashion? It is because I had news 
that the Sultan was sending his soldiers to destroy my 
palace. In this litter are contained all my most precious 
treasures.” 


ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE SLAVES 


203 


1 i Is that so, my lord ? ’ ’ asked Euth, in the humble man¬ 
ner of the princesses of the Arabian Nights . “Deign to 
tell me where we are going and why the Sultan hates 
you so?” 

“It is on your account, Zuieika,” replied Jack sol¬ 
emnly. “He had sworn a mighty oath to buy you for 
himself in the slave market, and he has never forgiven me 
because I bought you before his man got there.” 

“Will he not pursue you?” cried Euth. 

“He is,” answered Jack. “But the black slaves who 
are carrying us are seven feet tall, and their legs use up 
five feet, so they can walk very quickly. I do not think 
he can catch us, my pearl!’’ 

“Lord of my life! King of my heart!” 

“Ouch! You’re sitting on my legs, don’t forget that!” 

There was a scuffle and the corners of the shawl had to 
be arranged again before they could go on. 

Presently Jack peeped cautiously out of the litter. 
“The horsemen of the Sultan!” he cried. “For your 
lives, my men, for your lives! They will kill us all with¬ 
out mercy if they find us here! ’ ’ 

Faster and faster they sped on, and from time to time 
one or the other would look out to encourage the bearers, 
and to see what was happening to the enemy. 

“They have stopped to rest,” cried Euth at last. “See, 
my lord, how far behind they are! Yonder is a rocky 
hillside with many caves in it. I recognize it as the place 
where I was born. I can show you a cave in which to 
hide until they have gone past. ’ ’ 

She leaned forward and gave some directions to the 
bearers, who turned away from the path which they had 
been following, and began to climb the mountainside. Up 
they went, and the litter jolted and rocked on their shoul¬ 
ders. Presently they stopped. She descended. There 
beside them a cavern could be seen, stretching down into 
the earth. Without hesitation she led them in till they 
reached a point where it opened into a large room. Ex¬ 
hausted, the slaves threw themselves down on the sand 
to rest, while the sheik spoke to them consolingly. 

Meanwhile Zuieika found lights, hidden as they had 


204 


ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE SLAVES 


been in her childhood, and they took out food from the 
litter and ate and slept. The next morning showed no 
sign of their pursuers. Once more they started on their 
journey, though the slaves were tired and footsore from 
their work of the day before. 

They traveled peacefully, until all at once one of the 
slaves raised a piercing cry. 

‘ ‘ The Nubians! The Nubians !’ 1 

The sheik turned pale. For the Nubians were the most 
bloodthirsty of all the tribes they could meet, and he knew 
that soon they would have to fight for their lives. Never¬ 
theless he urged his men to hasten as much as they could. 

But the Nubians, mounted on their swift horses, drew 
nearer and nearer. They were almost upon them when 
one of the slaves stumbled and fell. The sheik leaped 
from the litter, and Zuleika with him. 

“If you die, my lord, I die also,” she cried, and drew 
a tiny dagger from her bosom. The slaves gathered 
around them ready to defend their master with their lives. 

With the clatter of hoofs and a jingling of bits the Nu¬ 
bians were upon them, and the faithful slaves were cut 
down like grass. One of the enemy stretched out his 
hand. 

“You are my prize!” he cried to Zuleika. 

“Never,” she answered, and plunged the dagger into 
her heart. At the same moment the sheik drove his 
weapon into the heart of his foe. But all too late. An 
arrow from one of the men in the distance pierced his 
brain. 

The children had not heard the door open. They 
emerged from the tangled wreckage of furniture, flushed 
and triumphant, to find their parents gazing in bewilder¬ 
ment at the ruin of their litter. 

“What were you playing!” asked their father. 

“What made the awful bump!” asked their mother. 

Zuleika and the sheik gazed at each other thoughtfully. 
Then Ruth answered. “We just fell out of our chairs,” 
she replied sweetly. 


THE LAND WHERE THE FAIRIES NEVER CAME. 


O NCE upon a time, many, many years ago, in a dis¬ 
tant part of the world, there was born a little boy 
in the house of a rich merchant. His parents had 
waited a long time for him, and they were so delighted 
to have a son that they called together all their friends 
and kinsmen to celebrate the baby’s birth with a noble 
banquet. Not a person of their acquaintance was omitted 
from the list, and when the day appointed came, every¬ 
thing was ready for the greatest feast the country had 
ever seen. 

You could never guess the names of all the wonderful 
things that were provided to amuse and entertain the 
guests; but the crown of it all came when the baby’s 
mother appeared, dressed in glorious silks and wearing 
all her jewels, holding in her arms her tiny son. There 
was not much of the baby to be seen, I confess—only a 
little red face and a small fist that waved about uneasily, 
as though the noise and lights were a great disturbance; 
but that made no difference to the guests, who began say¬ 
ing all the polite things they had thought of during the 
feast. 

Presently, when the first buzz of congratulation was 
over, a dashing young uncle of the child mounted a plat¬ 
form and called for silence. His voice was clear and ring¬ 
ing as he begged the guests to propose names for the 
baby, which should suggest his future power. When he 
had finished speaking, the buzz broke out again, as people 
consulted with each other about the names which ought 
to be given. While they were thinking, the uncle and his 
assistants went about, deftly assigning places to them all, 
until they stood about in orderly procession, ready to 
file past the mother and child when the time to begin 
came. 

At last all was in order, and the young uncle took his 
place with the nearest relatives, whose turn came first. I 
cannot begin to tell you all the pleasant names they gave 
to the child; one called him the Leader of His People, 
205 


206 


LAND WHERE FAIRIES NEVER CAME 


another the Laughing Ruler, a third the Strong-Heart, 
and so on. 

Way down at the end of the line stood an old woman, 
who smiled in amusement as each new title was an¬ 
nounced. She watched each person, and after each name 
she murmured, so loud that all those around her could 
hear distinctly, “You haven’t hit it.” In fact, even the 
people who had just turned away from the mother and 
child heard, and it made them extremely angry. A num¬ 
ber of them went to the young uncle and begged him to 
stop her if he could. But he was a just man, and he 
answered firmly that she w T as entitled to say what she 
thought, like all the rest. 

By the time it came her turn, so many people knew of 
her comments that nearly everybody in the room craned 
his neck to hear what she would say to the baby. She 
marched up to the child, walking rather stiffly, for she 
was quite old, and making a really dreadful noise with 
her boots, which were very thick and heavy. The baby 
stirred as she approached, and for the first time since he 
had been brought in, opened his eyes and stared at her. 

“You shall be the man to bring to your country some¬ 
thing it never had and never missed,’ ’ she declared in a 
loud voice. Then she stumped away, and before the as¬ 
tonished company could make out what she meant by it 
all, she was out of the door, and away from the house. 

Soon after this the party broke up, and each one went 
to his own home. The parents of the baby, the young 
uncle, and a pretty cousin of the child were the only 
ones left. You can imagine what a time they had trying 
to decide which of all the titles was the best for the baby. 
You must know that in their country, it was the custom 
for the parents to choose one of the titles suggested, and 
then try to bring up their child to be what they had 
chosen for him. 

Somehow, there were objections to nearly all the names. 
Either the baby’s mother thought they were too insignifi¬ 
cant, or the father insisted that his son was capable of 
something much better than that, or the uncle complained 
that he knew far too many young men who had tried to 


LAND WHERE FAIRIES NEVER CAME 


207 


do the same thing, unsuccessfully; or the pretty cousin 
declared that it was much too dear a baby to be saddled 
with a stupid name like that, and the result was that three 
weeks after the banquet they were no nearer to a decision 
than at the beginning. The only name that everybody 
remembered and really talked about was the queer one 
that the old woman had suggested, and they could not 
imagine what she meant by it. 

Meanwhile the baby grew, of course, and he had been 
wearing short dresses for several months before they de¬ 
cided that it was really time to settle the matter once for 
all. His father, indeed, got decidedly angry about it, 
and one day told them that since they hadn’t been able to 
agree about any name, they might as well take the only 
one that had made any impression on their minds. The 
baby would be the one to bring his country something it 
never had, and never missed, whatever that was. And 
since the name was much too long to call him by, they 
settled upon Roy for short. 

Roy, however, troubled himself not at all about it. He 
grew strong and rosy, and romped and played and slept 
like any other boy. There was only one strange thing 
about him. When he thought nobody was looking at him, 
his eyefe used to take on a far-away expression, as though 
he were trying to see something that was not visible to 
any one else. Nobody thought much about this except 
the young uncle, now not so young himself and hoping to 
name his own son soon; and he wondered to himself 
whether the name had anything to do with it. But he 
was a busy man and he soon forgot. 

When Roy was about fifteen years old, something hap¬ 
pened which changed the entire course of things. The 
country, which had been prosperous and comfortable in a 
stupid sort of way, suddenly seemed to lose all its com¬ 
fort. People were content to have things ugly, where 
they might just as well have been beautiful; they rather 
preferred to live in clumsy, inconvenient houses instead 
of pleasant ones; and they chose clothes which made them 
look more like sticks than anything else. Once in a while 
somebody would wonder why it was that nothing was 


208 


LAND WHERE FAIRIES NEVER CAME 


beautiful any longer, but generally they eared very little. 

But it troubled Roy a great deal, for his mother was 
one of the few who could remember when the world they 
lived in was a very lovely place, and she had told him so 
much about it that he was able to see it himself as it 
ought to be. One day, when things seemed worse than 
usual, he went out to try to find somebody to tell him what 
he could do to make it better. 

Without thinking specially where he was going, he 
turned to the right down a long lane, crossed a little 
bridge, and found himself in a meadow, following a path 
which looked as if it had been worn by a pair of very 
heavy boots. On the farther edge of it he saw a little 
house. As he came nearer, an old woman poked her head 
out of a window, nodded three times, and then turned 
away. A moment later she was standing in her doorway 
waiting for him to come up. 

‘ 4 What are you looking for, young man?” she asked 
him, a twinkle of amusement in her eyes as she spoke. 

“I don’t know,” he confessed. “I just came away be¬ 
cause things were so dreadfully homely and stupid where 
I live. I wanted to see something different.” 

i ‘ Do you know what you want, young man ?’ 9 she asked 
again. 44 You ought to. You’ll have a hard time finding 
it if you don’t.” 

Roy hung his head. He thought she was making fun of 
him. Then, as he looked here and there desperately, feel¬ 
ing most uncomfortable, he noticed the pair of boots that 
she wore. They were very thick and heavy, and they 
squeaked violently every time she moved. Now of course 
he had heard about the old woman who had given him his 
name, and he remembered that his uncle had mentioned 
her boots particularly. 

“I declare—” he began. 

“Quite right,” she replied. “I am. And what is 
more, I know what you are trying to find, if you don’t. 
What you want is fairies.” 

As she spoke, he realized that it was true. He had 
never heard of fairies as you have, and had never been 
told of all the things they do in the world, for his mother, 


LAND WHERE FAIRIES NEVER CAME 


209 


although she was a very wise woman, did not know any¬ 
thing about them. The old woman went on talking. 

“The reason your country is such a tiresome one is 
that there are no fairies there. There never have been 
any, and the people don’t miss them, because they don’t 
know about them. You must go and find them and bring 
them home with you, or at least tell the people about 
them, if you want to make it any more beautiful. ’ ’ 

“Where can I find them?” asked Roy. 

“Just over the border,” answered the old woman. 
“Follow the path and you will soon get there. Good luck 
to you. Good-bye.” She disappeared into the cottage, 
and Roy started in the direction she pointed out. 

How long lie traveled he never quite knew, but all at 
once he was aware that the world looked quite strange 
around him. There were more flowers along the road¬ 
side and wild animals that scurried through the ferns 
when he came by, or turned to look at him with curious 
eyes as he passed. One flower particularly attracted him. 
It was something like a pansy, but far different from 
those that he had seen at home. He bent closer-to look 
at it, and sure enough, right in the middle of it he saw 
a roguish, mischievous face. 

“Startled you, didn’t I?” said a tiny voice, and the 
flower began to laugh. 

“What are you?” Roy asked, though he guessed what 
the answer would be. 

“A fairy, of course,” the flower mocked him. “What 
are you, and how does it happen you don’t know a fairy 
when you see one?” 

“There aren’t any fairies where I live,” said Roy, 
“and it is such a stupid sort of place. I thought maybe 
I might find some of you and bring you back with me.” 

“You can’t do it like that,” answered the pansy. “We 
don’t go there because the king won’t let us. You’d have 
to talk with him about it. ’ ’ 

“Where can I find him?” Roy asked eagerly. 

The fairy looked at him curiously, but he was so 
evidently in earnest that she decided to explain. 

“You’re in luck,” she said. “The king is making a 


210 


LAND WHERE FAIRIES NEVER CAME 


special journey through his dominions, and is due here in 
half an hour. You stand over by that maple tree, and 
speak to him politely when he comes by, and see what he 
has to say about it.” 

Roy obeyed. He did not find it tedious waiting, for 
there were all sorts of little fairies running here and 
there, getting ready for the king. He watched them curi¬ 
ously. Presently a trumpet announced that the king had 
come. Roy dropped on one knee as all the fairies did, 
and waited. 

In a wee gilded chariot the king appeared, drawn by 
four sleek mice and attended by a crowd of fairies. When 
he saw Roy he stopped short. 4 4 What are you doing 
here?” he demanded. 

Roy explained as well as he could. The king listened 
kindly, and then meditated. 4 4 The fairies never went 
there for good reason,” he said after a pause. 44 The cli¬ 
mate doesn’t agree with them. Too practical. People 
aren’t interested in beautiful things. It would kill the 
fairies if I sent them back there.” 

44 What can I do?” asked Roy. 44 I was told that only 
the fairies could make it beautiful again.” 

44 That is not quite true,” the king replied. 44 You can 
change the climate, if you want to do so.’ 9 

44 How?” 

4 4 You can make songs and stories about the fairies, 
and teach them to so many children that by and by the 
fairies can live there again,” the king explained. 44 There 
are two of us, seasoned old travelers, who could go, so 
long as they stayed with you only. They would help you . 9 9 
At a nod one of his courtiers vanished to fetch them. 

Presently two elderly fairies appeared. They were 
very plainly and serviceably dressed, and looked like 
people who had seen a great deal of the world. The king 
consulted with them gravely. Then he turned to Roy. 

44 Let me introduce these gentlemen,” he said. 44 This 
is Fable, who has done a great work in preparing new 
lands for the fairies to live in, and his brother Song, 
whose services are equally valuable. With these to help 
you, you may succeed in making the country fit for fairies 


MUCKLE-MOUTH MEG 


211 


to live in. They will show you all that you need to know, 
and will give you the best of advice . 9 9 

The king bowed graciously, and signalled to his chari¬ 
oteer that he was ready to start on. Roy was left with 
the two fairies. “Let’s begin right off,” he said. 

And so it happened that when he returned Roy made 
songs and stories of what he had seen among the fairies. 
And when he did not know what to say, the two old fairies 
helped him, till the children in his own land had heard so 
much about the fairies that they were sure there must be 
some if they only looked hard enough. And sure enough, 
the climate had improved so much that the fairies began 
to appear, a few at a time, till there were all that the 
country had room for. 

A great many years afterward, the historians, writing 
about their country, told of the man who had done the 
most to bring back its beauty. And what do you suppose 
they said of him? “He was the man who brought into 
the country something it had never before had, and had 
never missed.” The old woman living on the edge of 
the path, with the heavy boots that squeaked a great deal, 
laughed when she read this. For she had planned it all 
from the beginning. 


MUCKLE-MOUTH MEG. 

NOTE—This story has been told in verse by a number of poets, 
the most famous version being that of Robert Browning. 

D URING the years before the union of the kingdoms 
of England and Scotland, the feeling between the 
two nations was very bitter. Living as close to 
one another as they did, it was almost impossible to 
avoid serious quarreling. And this is just what occurred. 

Usually it began quite simply. The Scots dashed down 
into the English farms, chose a number of the best cattle, 
and drove them off across the border. If the farmer tried 
to prevent them they fought with him, and very often 
several men were killed in the battle. Then they returned 
home with their plunder. In their turn the English, by 


212 


MUCKLE-MOUTH MEG 


way of revenge, crossed the border and did whatever 
damage they could. Then both sides settled down till 
the next time. 

The kings did their best to stop this sort of fighting, 
but without success. The raids continued, and by de¬ 
grees it became understood among the people on both 
sides of the border that whoever was caught in one of 
these forays would be put to death instantly. 

One day a young English farmer named Wat started 
out with his bow, hunting deer. Whether he intended to 
do any harm or not I cannot say; there had been many 
cattle stolen from his pastures only a month or so earlier, 
and it is very likely that he hoped he might catch others 
to make up for the loss. At any rate, he followed on and 
on, and soon had left the border many miles behind him. 

Now the old Laird of Elibank was out hunting also— 
on his own side of the line, and when he and his men 
caught sight of Wat, they one and all attacked him, and 
had no trouble in taking him prisoner. They bound his 
arms behind him, and led him home in triumph. 

The castle where Elibank lived was a gloomy old place, 
built of heavy stones and thickly covered with ivy. Right 
in the court-yard a tall gallows was hung, on which the 
old Laird was accustomed to hang the people who dis¬ 
obeyed too seriously. Here he planned to hang young 
Wat—not because he hated him particularly, but because 
that was the custom. 

Old Elibank saw his wife and daughter watching for 
him as he rode in with his captive, and he waved gaily 
to them. Mistress Elibank told her daughter to wait 
upstairs, and herself went out to hear the news of her 
husband’s hunting. 

Margaret Elibank, left alone, gazed out of the window 
at the handsome young fellow whom her father wished 
to put to death. She was a very pretty girl, with fair, 
reddish curls, and a skin like a freshly opened rose. Her 
eyes laughed merrily at every one whom she met, and 
her mouth was simply made to be kissed. It was a tiny 
mouth, so small that her brothers made fun of her for it, 
and were in the habit of calling her “Muckle-Mouth,” 


MUCKLE-MOUTH MEG 


213 


which means wide-mouthed, by way of a joke. Her father 
had adopted the name, too, with the result that she was 
called nothing but Muckle-mouth Meg. 

When Dame Elibank reached the court-yard, her hus¬ 
band pointed to the gay young fellow who stood beside a 
post calmly enough, for all he expected to die every min¬ 
ute. She looked him over critically, and suddenly turned 
to the Laird with an idea. 

“Give him a chance for his life,” she said. “If he is 
willing to marry our Muckle-mouth Meg, let him live.’ ’ 

The Laird grinned. “What d’ye say about it?” he 
demanded. 

Wat stood firm. 

“Catch me marrying any girl of yours whose mouth is 
as big as a bam door,” he laughed. “I’d rather be 
hanged instead.” 

Mistress Elibank bristled up. “So that’s the way you 
feel, is it?” she declared angrily. “ We ’ll shut you up in 
the dark a while, and see if you keep up this tune. After 
you’ve spent a week in the Hole, without food or drink, 
maybe you’ll change your mind.” 

At a signal from the Laird, two men-servants seized 
Wat and dragged him away to the dungeon of the castle, 
a place into which no light ever came except when the 
door was opened, and shoved him in. It was bitterly cold, 
but Wat cuddled down on a pile of straw in a corner and 
made himself as comfortable as he could. Of one thing 
he was certain—nothing would persuade him to marry a 
woman with a mouth like the mouth of a well. 

Margaret, from her window, heard all that passed in 
the court-yard below, and she pitied Wat from the bottom 
of her heart. When her mother and father came up 
laughing over their scheme, she managed to slip out, and 
went to her room to think. It did not take her long to 
decide upon a plan of action. 

The next morning, as Wat was realizing that it w r as 
nearly twenty-four hours since he had eaten anything, 
the door of the hole was opened, and a lovely girl’s voice 
inquired whether he had decided to marry Muckle-mouth 
Meg. 

Vol. 1—13 


214 


MUCKLE-MOUTH MEG 


“N'ot much,” he answered stoutly. 

“ You ’ll go hang then,” said she, “but at any rate you 
may as well have something to eat while you can.” And 
with that she emptied the basket which she carried, 
closed the door, and left Wat alone. There was food in 
plenty, and he made a hearty meal. 

Day after day Meg came to the prison with food; and 
every day he gave the same answer to her question. 

“Marry Muckle-mouth Meg? Not I; do you think I’d 
let a mouth big enough to swallow an ostrich’s egg kiss 
mine? You don’t know me.” 

On the last day she did not appear. Instead two men 
dragged him out into the court-yard, and there, by the 
gallows, stood Meg. 

“Sure you don’t want Meg?” she whispered. 

Again his denial, more vehement than before. 

“What an obstinate fellow it is!” she exclaimed. “I 
do believe he’d rather have me if he could! ’ ’ 

Wat grinned at her. “That he would, even if you 
had nothing to give me except your pretty little mouth, ’ ’ 
he told her, and Meg looked up at him with eyes full of 
mischief. 

“Do you mean that?” she asked. 

“Of course!” 

“Well,” she blushed, and looked at the ground, “you 
see—I’m Muckle-mouth Meg!” 

With a shout of delight Wat threw his arms around her 
and kissed her repeatedly. 

“If that’s the case, said he, “I’ll kiss you over and over 
again until you really are Muckle-mouth Meg, for a 
change! ’ ’ 

And from that time on, Elibank could hunt all he 
pleased—there was no danger that he would ever bring 
Wat home with him to be hanged for trespassing. And 
Wat lived happily all the days of his life. 


PRINCESS FAIRSTAR. 


[adapted from the french.] 


CERTAIN queen, Blondina by name, gave birth to 
three children at one time. Two of them were sons 



* and the third was a little daughter. They were very 
remarkable children, for about the neck of each was a 
chain of pure gold, very long and finely woven, and a 
golden star adorned the forehead of each one. On the 
same day that Blondina’s children were born, Brunetta, 
the sister of the queen and a wife of the king’s brother, 
gave birth to a son, whom she called Chery. 

These four children were very beautiful, and the queen- 
mother, when she perceived how attractive they were, 
grew very jealous, and determined to strangle them if 
she possibly could. She summoned a faithful slave 
named Feintisa, and gave orders that they were to be 
destroyed at all costs. She drew out a fine cord from 
her box and gave it to the slave. 

“Here,” said the queen, with a wicked smile, “this will 
do your business, and will make the least difficulty. One 
cry, and it will all be over!” She grinned horribly and 
handed the cord to her servant, with a gesture which 
warned Feintisa to be off at once. 

Feintisa made haste to find the children. They were 
not far off, sleeping peacefully in their tiny, silk-lined 
baskets, and did not even wake as the slave gathered 
them all up and hastened toward the river. It was her 
plan to deal with them where she could hide the little 
bodies most easily, and accordingly she carried them to a 
secluded corner where there was a little boat-house which 
nobody ever visited. 

But when she tried to put the cord around the neck of 
the first baby, the child woke and smiled at her so prettily 
that she had not the heart to carry out her mistress 9 cruel 
commands. But what was she to do? Feintisa reflected, 
and suddenly had an inspiration. Close by was a boat, 
not very large or steady, but quite roomy enough for the 


215 


216 


PRINCESS FAIRSTAR 


babies. Into this she put the children, after carefully 
removing everything that could possibly show who they 
were, and set them adrift on the river, to live or die as 
fate should determine. Then she went back to her mis¬ 
tress and assured her that the children had been de¬ 
stroyed. 

Now it happened that the boat floated down the river 
without mishap of any kind, the children in it asleep and 
quiet. Out into the broad stretches of the river it went, 
and at last floated into a wide arm of the sea. A corsair, 
sailing idly along in search of plunder, saw it, and his 
curiosity was excited. He wondered what it could be 
and turned his boat toward the drifting shell. Great was 
his surprise when he beheld the four children, just begin¬ 
ning to wake and cry. He had had children of his own, 
though they had long been grown, and as he looked at the 
babies he reflected that his wife would rejoice in children 
in the house once more, so he picked them up and carried 
them home. 

“Corsina,” said he to his wife, 44 here are some infants 
that I found today. Would you like to have them for 
your own?” 

Corsina was almost too happy to speak. She was 
fondling the children, petting them and playing with 
them, and her husband smiled happily, for he was sure 
that he had found something which pleased her. 

As the children grew older they grew more and more 
lovely. The little girl Corsina, called Fairstar, from the 
star on her forehead; and her beauty was positively daz¬ 
zling. There was a strange circumstance connected with 
her, moreover, as with the other three; whenever their 
hair was combed, jewels in great number fell from their 
heads. This pleased their foster-parents greatly, though 
they could not imagine how it happened, and they soon 
grew very rich and prosperous. They did not forget that 
they owed their wealth to the children, and took the 
greatest possible care of them, setting aside a part of the 
jewels for the possession of the children themselves. They 
spared no expense to give them the best possible educa¬ 
tion, and to this end hired masters to teach them, and 


PRINCESS FAIRSTAR 


217 


bought everything that could make their lives pleasant 
and interesting. Had they been brought up in the palace 
where they were born, Fairstar, Chery, and the other two 
boys could not have received a more princely training. 

Their foster-parents often used to wonder what their 
family was, but it was impossible to learn anything. The 
tiny clothes which they had worn bore no marks at all, 
and there was no way of discovering where they had come 
from. This worried Chery particularly, for as he grew 
older he fell desperately in love with Fairstar, and he 
could not believe that she was his sister, though he knew 
no more about it than his foster-parents. He determined 
to find out, cost what it might. 

One day he met an old woman who was really a fairy 
in disguise, who told him that there were only three 
things necessary to complete the beauty of the grounds in 
which he and his cousins lived. Eager to do anything 
that could please Fairstar, Chery asked what they were, 
and received a strange answer: 

“ You lack the dancing water, the singing apple, and the 
green bird,” answered the old woman. 

“Tell me about them,” begged Chery, and the old 
woman responded at once. 

“The dancing water gives beauty to everything near 
it,” she told him, “and a little of it will fill any fountain 
in which it is placed; the singing apple confers wit and 
cleverness upon all who possess it, and the green bird 
will tell all secrets in the world . 1 9 

This made Chery firmly resolve to get the three treas¬ 
ures, and he set off in hot haste to find them. How long 
he traveled I cannot say, nor all the dangers which he 
passed. The three were to be found together on the top 
of a high hill, made doubly hard of ascent by the fact 
that the souls of all who had tried to carry off the treas¬ 
ure and failed were lingering about the place, in voices 
which threatened and warned the newcomer, and did their 
best to make him turn aside from the narrow path. Who¬ 
ever did so was surely lost, and never could be rescued 
save by a drop of water from the dancing fountain. 

With infinite danger and difficulty Chery climbed the 


218 


PRINCESS FAIRSTAR 


hill, and there found what he sought, and returned home 
in triumph. Now it happened that in his absence the 
other two boys had made the acquaintance of the king, 
their father, though of course they were ignorant of their 
relationship. He was much attracted by their charming 
manners, and when he heard of their beautiful sister, he 
asked them to invite him to see her. They were only too 
glad to do so, and a day was fixed for his visit. It took 
place only a day or so after Chery’s return, and after the 
treasures had been safely installed in the garden where 
Fairstar kept her choicest rarities. 

The king and his court were much impressed with the 
beautiful girl and the three boys who tended her with 
such loving devotion, and when he was told of the strange 
story of their arrival at the home of their foster-parents, 
he could not help thinking with a sigh of the three chil¬ 
dren and their cousin who had disappeared from his pal¬ 
ace. It was only natural, therefore, that when he was 
shown the green bird, he should utter the question which 
was uppermost in his mind, and ask to know the fate of 
his own children. The surprise of everyone was un¬ 
bounded when the bird named Fairstar and her brothers, 
and declared that Chery was the son of the king’s brother. 

True it was, however, for when Feintisa, who was still 
alive and a very old woman, was called, she confessed how 
she had set the children adrift, and even recognized the 
little garments which had been carefully preserved. When 
the king learned of Chery’s love for Fairstar, he was 
overjoyed, and their marriage was solemnized with the 
greatest pomp. 


KINDERGARTEN MUSIC., 
SONGS AND GAMES 











UP THE LADDEK—SPEAK GENTLY 

UP THE LADDER 


221 



1. Up the lad - der we must climb, Sing - ing clear - ly 

2. lu the morn - ing comes the sun. Glad his dai - ly 




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and in time; Though we’re near - ly at the top, 

race to run; Climbs the steep bank of the sky. 



E - ven now we must not stop: Down the lad - der 

Till he shines su - perb and high: But he does not 


‘-jnflTS— m - m - 



r r r 

m 0 m 0 


^ r: . ! i r r , . r r r - 

An T V P , 

• T 

—U - it - it - yt — 

L -V- v -j- 


we must go, Sing - ing nd - ther fast nor slow, 

pause or stay, He must keep his on • ward way; 



=N ' -A " - 

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—r* -•> -|y > 

■a—n— j y 

tf(T\ . 9 9 9 9 

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fail M . 

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Glad to reach the low - est round, Glad once more to touch the ground. 
Down he drops be - low the west, Leav-ing us to sleep and rest. 


SPEAK GENTLY 


Folk Song 


hlfrfo- 4 —r 

3 3 -=^—H= 

0 ' 


- 1 = 

- 1 - 

- 1 - 

9 -- 




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1. Speak gen • tly—■ it is bet 

2. Speak gen • tly— 'tis a lit 


ter far To 
tie thing, Dropp’d 



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—s - |- 


' h h 1 ' a 0 

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- | 


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l r ... Lg 

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rule by love than fear; Speak gen - tly— let no 

in the heart’s deep well; The good, the joy, that 


EKH-i- 



--J # -tf- 


N» 11 


9 

j 0 r r 

- » ^ 11 

CSZ-1-'- 

* ■ -r- 1 — 1 

__17 


harsh words mar The good we might do here, 
it may bring, E • ter - ni - ty shall tell l 

From Primary Songs. Copyright by Ginn & Co., Boston, 1902 


















































































222 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 





Lively. 




:4Ejz 


ALWAYS rtERRY 





German 



* 


1. A1 - ways mer- ry, blithe, and gay, Langh-ing, hop-ping, spring -ing; 

2. Fel - low-play-mates, come with me, Laugh-ing, dano-ing, sing - ing. 


rrfrPi*-- 

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P r J 

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J J 

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'-jj w v w i r ^ 


Hap - py all the live - long day, Dane - ing, pip - ing, sing - ing; 
Ev - er joy - ous, glad and free, Hop-ping, skip - ping, spring-ing; 



Where there’s sport and where there’s fun, Where there’s frolic, I make one! 
With a laugh and mer - ry jest, He who makes us laugh the beat,— 


-H—in 


i T“T“ 

■ —■ 7 — “1 —n 

A * 9 m J ! 




- f \\ * r r 0 9 

J J 

0 ^ 


# P J- 

.d — • -i 

\-t — . 11 


Sel - dom am I far a - way, When there is a chance for play. 
Leaps and springs most heart-i -ly,— Shall to - day our lead - er be! 


WORK AWAY 


Folk Song 




k fs -V.-f 

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T 

r/r jj Z J J 

0 P 

P i * J 


I 

rirh v a 9 9 

1 J i 

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F - J 

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— L 9 

9 9 


__i d 


1. I re - mem - ber a les - son which was not thrown a - way; 

2. Hands were made to be use - ful, if you teach them the way; 

3. And to speed with your la - bor makes the most of to - day ; 


IZlC-i- 

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|—| -1 

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“In the morn of life be use - ful, don’t spend too much time in play;” 

There-fore, for your-self or neigh-bor, make them use - ful ev - ’ry day; 

What may hin - der you to - mor - row ’tis im - pos - si - ble to say. 



-Pv_ l S . 

- . pT-p~ -f - 

1—-*--:-n 

.jIl. J 7 0 ■ ■ 

p p J 

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1 - ——ri 

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9 H H 

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Work a - way while you’re a - ble, work a - way, work a - way. 
From Primary Songs. Copyright by Ginn Sl Co., Boston, 1902 










































































































INDEPENDENCE DAY—LULLABY 


223 


INDEPENDENCE DAY 



1-j-—1 

—— - - -- 

a -- a ^ "I 

J\ it tt N 

! J * 

m r r r 


a r r a 71 

fm * n r 

m - r 


r .. i u 

■} 

r L! i J 

tFF—azs- 

-1-- 

1 

l p ^^ 

I" 1 



1. This day to greet, With joy we meet; Then ban - ish care a • 

2. Our fa - thers crave, The land to save, Did free - dora’s call e • 



way!. With fes - tive cheer, Come, hast - en here; "Tis 

bey!. By young and old Their deeds be told; Tis 


P—P—P— •-rf-T—g-— - a ~2 -ri-~fn 

n . i 

; j. i j 

a 

a a r r a 

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P r L f 

# • • 11 

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_LL- [f —— ^_J 



In - de - pend-ence Day!... ’Tis In - de - pend - ence Day! 
From Primary Songs, Copyright by Ginn <fc Co., Boston, 1902 


LULLABY 

Thomas Dekkeb, adapted English 

Lento. 




P 

£2 

=£= 

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9 

v » 

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1. Gold - en slum-bers kiss your eyes, Smiles a-wait you when you rise; 

2. ’Neath the drows-y, droop-ing lids, Dreams from fair - y land are hid; 


r-jhh - i - 

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L L 

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P 1 

I5SZU !--!L 

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Sleep, pret - ty lov’d one, do. not cry,... And I will 




H “=J= 

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a 

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sing your lul - la - by, Lul - la - by, 


"7^—1-^— 

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yi y II 

lul - la - 

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by, 

4= = 

lul 

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la - by. 

E r f : E^gB 


From New First Music Reader. Copyright by Ginn tc Co., Boston, 1908 

I—IS 






































































































224 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 


THE VIOLET 


Jane Taylor 

Lento. 

-----.- 

** 




R. Mellese 

-N-;- 


= 3 = 

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->- “ " 1 

H-{—H- 

- 

g— 

-•—H 

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r —— w 9 



1. Down in a green 

and 

sha - 

dy bed, 

A 

mod - 

est vio - let 

2. Yet there it was 

con- 

tent 

to bloom, 

In 

mod - 

est tints ar - 







grew, Its stalk was bent, it hung 
rayed, And there dif - fused its sweet 


A- 




its head, As if to hide from 
per - fume, With-in the si - lent 


A-.-- K 



view; And yet it was 

shade. Then let me to 



4 

3 


a love - ly flow’r, 

the val - ley go, 


Its 

This 


r-jhfr— 

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/ ri u | 

P - M M jJ 1 





r . w w jm — J 



J J. J g* » 

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w 9 w 


col - ors bright and fair, It might have graced a 

pret - ty flow’r to see, That I may al - so 



ro - sy bow’r, In - stead of hid - ing there, 

learn to grow, In sweet hu * mil - i - ty. 


ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT 


Adapted by Celia Stakdish 
Cantabile. 


Welsh 


i 


& 


& 


p 


t=== 




1. Sleep, my child, and peaoe at - tend thee, All through the night; 

2. Hark I the whip-poor - will is call-ing Clear through the night; 


r-H 



r 4- 


i 

-i- 



- r j - . 

^ . 

| ■ I 

1 1 r 

s. 

X- 

a 

• 1 m 

w ; 'm 

1-* 1 

22 


v- 

7 W - Q 


—• • • 



Guar - dian an - gels God will send thee— All through the night. 
Pure and sweet his tones are fall - ing, All through the night 

From New First Music Reader. Copyright by Ginn & Co., Boston, 1903 






































































































THREE BLUE BIRDIES 


225 


—JZ.i Zj 0 # L ' ' i• 

9 -g--■ --"■1 

---1—i 


P ^ T 


p ■ 2 1 1 

w- 2 ---—f—1-—1— 

-1- 

=t= 

- 


Soft the drow 8 - y hours are oreep-ing, Hill and vale in 
Deep in dreams my child is ly - ing, Breez - ea to my 


- 

*-1- 


— 1- v -;-1- 

# •« 



J i i 

JZ_L. • 


• • J 1 * . 

1 

9 9 


slum - her steep - ing, Moth - er here her 

song re - ply - ing, Lul • la - bies are 


: 

9-Hrt -f-p-j- 


II 

y 

J . J 

1 1 

J N» II 

r 

ttP-J 9 . 0 J 

-j m jb 

^ l| 


1 9 J 

& 9 • 9 

rl 




watch is keep - ing, All through the night 

soft - ly sigh - ing, All through the night. 

From New First Music Reader. Copyright by Ginn & Co., Boston, 1903 


THREE BLUE BIRDIES 

... _ 1 _._ 

Traditional 
\ - , 

i / -¥t q -j n ' 


J T 


& - j - - ] 

rv I ) 

rrn o i 9 * 


& A 9 

Alp Z \ 9 

—I-j- 4 — 

-£-« 


Three blue bird - ies, three blue bird - ies, three blue bird - ies 


Recit. 


r~y~* -;— 

-1 

1 -1 



- i 

fn~» 1 J 

^ • I 

1 I 

J J cJ 

g 

1 & 1 

—j ^ 

sat on the wall; 

One jumped off and then there were only 


r ps— - — n 



— }-j 1~* 

l/T & S3 2 1 

^ j 



rfm i •m - 


1 '1 


tW. r.| 

i .--I-- 1 

-£-J-J 


Two blue bird - ies, two blue bird - ies, two blue bird - ies 


r 

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1 

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S? -— 

r> 

, i i 

1 



rr 

| j -j . 

• j 


M- J 


t t _____ rr rl 

^ l 

1 ^ 1 

1 r . # 

1 - 57 ^ 

sat on the wall; j 

1 Then another jumped off, 
and there was only. 

| One blue bird - ie. 



one blue bird - ie, one blue bird • ie sat on the wall; 





















































































226 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 



Only one left and presently he jumped off, I 
and then there were.f 


blue bird • ies, 


r r *J 


sag 


I 


no blue bird - ies, no blue bird - ies sat on the wall; 
Recit. 


Presently up jumped one, and then there was One blue bird • ie, 


"-=3— 

pq-q:—q 



--j 

t— 

— | 


- & - A 

. rrr-zr? 

—d—^ 


—. 

— 

£gd 


$ 


one blue bird - ie, one blue bird - ie sat on the wall. 
Recit. 


m 


r;ai"Sr""l 




Recit. 


two b.uo bird-ios -t on the wa„; {'“ ””*.1 


three blue bird - ies, three blue bird - ies, 



three blue bird • ies sit - ting on 


the wall 

























































































RING A RING A ROSY 

This game is a universal favorite with the little ones indoors and 
out, and is played w/'th many variations. Here is one of them:— 
With an “ Eeny, meeny, miny mo” process, one is chosen to stand 
in the centre of tne ring; then the others, dancing around, sing:— 
See the farmer sows his seed (bis) 

Stamps his foot and claps his hands, 

And round he turns to view his lands, 

Waiting for a partner O! (bis) 

Choose East, choose West, 

Choose the one that you love best. 

When his choice is made the little couple embrace and the first in 
the ring retires, while the other remains and the same formula is 
repeated. 







TWO LITTLE DOGS—MARY HAD A LITTLE BIRD 227 


TWO LITTLE DOGS 


Traditional 


Bf 

:n & 

— 1 

-1 

—— - 

—=1—= 

qcz=l=zl 



- m - 6, 

-<$1— 

— * — 4 —» 

—3.J.->- 1 


Two lit - tie dogs sat by the fire - side, In a 

-1-i- 




& 


m 








bask - et full of coal dust; One ran a - way, and the 






- 6 >- 


oth - er would not stay In a baa - ket full of coal dust. 


MARY HAD A LITTLE BIRD 


Arthur Jarratt 




Slen - der legs, up - on my word, He was a pret - ty fel - low. 
Ma - ry wash’d and rubbed it well, To her was Dick be - hold - en. 
Full re - turn did bird - ie make By sing - ing loud and gai - ly. 


17\ 

— . A 

> - => ” 

a Cl 

TL P' : . U 9r 

s r r 


„ 



9 » a - 

• J CL—Cl 

1 

Cl ■ . j 


r.F--F- 

. 


b=dl 


4 Birdie, too, loved groundsel sweet, 
Which Mary lov’d to get him; 

Then for a bath he’d call twee-tweet, 
For not to wash would fret him. 


5 Mary fetched him water clear. 
And eVry thing he needed; 
Birdie was to her so dear, 

His wants were ne’er unheeded. 













































































228 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 


BUTTERCUPS 


Caro Srnou* 



dow - er;” Com - ing in the gen - tie spring, 

dai - ries, Strewn a - long the milk - maid’s path, 


9EE3 






t=t 


4 - 1 - 






What a dain - ty flow - er. Did the sun one hap - py 

By the lit - tie fair - ies? Did the stars one love - ly 


£ 


i 





-1 

*—; 

i 




-1 

^—rzrri 


— 

— t — 


& 


—H 



- M 


!--! 



— 




Copyright 1902. b.v C. S. Senonr 










































































































BUTTERCUPS 


229 


yf- -( - 


r—:-1-11— 


—1 - a - J - £ -h- 

— A - * - # - # - # — 


day Fill your 

night Drop their 

— #— -■-—-— 

cups, bo small, With the 
sparks on you, To set 

g-r-r— 

gold - en drops from 
jew - els in th'a 

i i 

np - — j - 1 — - J — 

-1- 1 -1 -PV -A- 


pTT-j- 0 -^- 

- -m - ± - -i — f~ 

=3 • •- j 


Z 2 0 0 0 — 

~m --*-1 

a. _ _ ~P~ _ ^ 

fe#-,-f 2 - 

— - f <k .. -| . p = 


- -^- 1 --h- 

-<s!-!- 

- i - 1 —& -—- 


ifc — ^ —■—#—-d— 

■1 I 

—T-1-1- 

CJi J * 9 

9 ~2 


vsI7 a 


-H-#-J-*-1 

tr 

Hea/n To give 

fields Fresh with 

,3=C=r -]-i 

joy to all? 

spark - ling dew? 

Tell us, tell us. 
Tell us, tell us, 

. - -- J- |—l 

(St ■■ j " # ■ * 

—J— 4- —i— 



-#-- 

—d-•- w -*— 


(my f? 


^ 1- 







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n-- 

^ =: -T « 





































































































230 KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 

CLOVER 

Caro Senour 


-jh$- rr --—-—-f—fr-TTs- 



i“1 M- P -py 

rrsr ri-N is —:-N • w d - "TV 

J - U. - ^ - 1-' 

Vxr/ -N- 9 

0 _ U 9.m 

9 -4b * 0 

1. Do you wish to hear our sto - ry, Wl 

2. Then the chil - dren twine our bios - soms In 

iy we lit • tie 
- to wreaths, to 




J id. — i~ 


1 i 


4 1 1 

fr\\ \7 | ( w .9 ^ ] 

-J _J - j -- 

TO7 —i. -I 1 ! 9 “1 

* 4 A 

9 - 4 - 9 9 

: 

7EV .» d m 



FrT'i+(T -i c 

- 1^ 

- 0 - 


w Ll q , : .—R 

- m - , - # 

.-. V--- 





r it* - -n-t - 


* h -v— 




i/K r 0 0 ^ 


k n ?s A 9 4 d [V 

saz q _ 0 ^ j 


fJ w * -A- -i- 9 * 


Dot - ting them with flow’rs, like snow ? First of all we help the farm-ers, 
Count our leaves “good luck,” ’tis said. Soon the bus - y bee comes buz-zing, 


1 



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i 

x 

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Copyright, 1902, by C. S. Senour 


















































































































CLOVER 


231 



rf-s --f— 

f—jv 


/-t~i 

1^---; • ' " —1=*r-*—*-=d 

So we’re use - ful in that way. 

y^M t -. q —^ 

Clo - vei 

.. p 

bios - soms, 

4-4—4 

> 4 r 

l=±=4 

-#3=Ss_j__- 

.-r=. ^ 

jgi-8 ■■■■{*—— 

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— p» . i=\ 


—g--i 

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y=t 

—£ - 

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nN-i—i*—i— 

r- -1 

t-——t—— n 

J . . ! ! I 

J - 1 N. 0 . • 

J t af 11 

r\ . m P J • 

# W P 

* f J + II 

IL2 -J-—— ^ - 

* -J 

# IP 


Clo - ver blos-Boms, Clo - ver blos-soms, Red and white. 

mm 

-pr 




























































































232 KINDERGAKTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 

POPPIES 


Cabo Serous 





J i .J . 1 *— 1 d J. 


Stand-ing in the sun-shine, in a green bed. Tell us, pret - ty pop - py, 
How long have you been here, will you please tell ? When you come next sea-son. 


3=5 




rT 


■»—•— m~ 


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*- 




* 


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for some one said, “ Pop-pies are so haught-y,” why bow your head ? 
with your bright red, We’ll not have to ask you, why bow your head? 


I 


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s 


r f 
£ 


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it* 




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Copyright, 1902, by C. S. Senour 

































































































POPPIES 


233 



: - 

H— 'fa 

I" 1 =1 

-Nr-k-1- 

(frrH— f—j 

—^- # — 


-ft,, : 



M-*—*- 

'v --j- -*- J 

Dear lit - tie chil • dren, 

how do you do? 

When I bow my head. 

[Jb s- f** 

....! Xi 

pJ—j~v~ - 1 !-1 

— =f me T=n 


b5=3=l 

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Make a bow. 


a 


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I say to yon, Dear lit - tie chil - dren, how do you do ? 




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234 KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 

DANDELIONS 

Caro Sexour 


Moderate. 


/J-r-zzq 

—1-i-i- t— 

■l — -I- —■■ j - -1=3 


E:— t — s — 

t - 


< / 

[ (WS-fT n* 

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- 1 

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—S— 


9 - L .. ^ 







Dan - de - lions, Did yon - der sun, one day, 

Yel - low - heads, The rea - son why you die? 


(S 


i im u., - 1 






m 


Copyright, 1902. fcy C. S. Senear 








































































DANDELIONS 


235 



TT—1 j-1- j — 

| N* 


-»—=T=i 



! * 




vJJ • 9 9 


f_ a 

■■ J J 

fj 

shine in mead - ows 
live up in the 

gay? Or 

sky? Pray, 

did you drop out 
tell me, are you 

1 7T 1-d-f— 

i ■ ^ ■ ~j ■ 

» ! 

“l - - 

1 rrr\ _ J 9 ! J 


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236 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 


LILY OF THE VALLEY 

Cabo Smtou* 



m 






When your wax - en bells peal sweet-ly On the dawn of tran-quil spring. 
Dance up - on earth’s vel - vet car - pet In the moon-light, with a song. 








3 




—*—r 


r 


m 


• r 

r5 j 


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Copyright, 1003, by C. S. Senour 
































































































































LILY OF THE VALLEY 


237 




PS 


i=* 




p£ 


Chim - ing in the crick-et’s chirp-ing, Mak - ing mu - sic, sweet and gay. 
Chim - ing in the crick-et’s chirp-ing, Mak - ing mu - sic, sweet and gay. 


m 


- a-* + — 








Dance of the Fairies. To be played after each verse. 
















































































































238 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 


PANSIE5 

Caro Sbnour 



1. See these pret - ty pan - sies, Each a ti - ny face, 

2. So we lit - tie chil - dren, To re - sem - ble you. 



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J 

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& 

Speak - ing words of 

kind - ness, 

Full of Iov - ing 

grace. 

Must be pui 

-0- - 

re and 

gen - tie, 

A1 - ways good an 

d 

true. 

1 -1 - 

—t 

T~ . j 

—j-1 -j- 


~1 

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m -- 0 ~ 


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H9-s-i 







-J —) 

Some are bright - er 

pan - sies, 

* e* 

For they speak more 

d 

love 

Lit - tie deeds of 

zfi:—^-1-j-j— 

kind - ness 

n— ^ ^ 

We must strive to 

k-PV" 1 H 

do, 

- 1 -1 

pp-t--f-! 


-*— i — j=z • 

-- 

F=-f—, 

—® - ■■ 


L- U 

. 1 



Copyright, 1902, by C. S. Senour 




















































































































PANSIES 


239 



In their lit - tie fac - es, As they look a - bove. 

Then we shall, dear pan - sies, So re - sem - ble you. 



i 

























































































































KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 


240 


THE NORTH WIND DOTH BLOW 

Arthur Jarratt 


f III 

' n / mp* 

/ / ri ■ i :---Trr.. 



p. mm 




tdr—H—! 


i 

t 

f -L. - Mmmm* 


fet~ 3**~ ...-"’-'"J.-J 

'tJ -0 

Th 

e north wind 

doth t 

r-0—*- 

r 

)low, and we i 

"P- 0 —! 

shall have snow, And 


hr 

f 

t - 


r - A— 


| 

— 1 —tp— 


- - r 
















rail ^ mf a tempo N ^ 








— 

what will the rob - in do then, poor thing ? He’ll sit in a barn, And 

st<L ——JL,— 


t 


f 



i-g-S—-1 



~f 8 n 

-j—i i 

1 



1-1 




j J J m m 

£ 



r n» 1 

JLL X 

A A 

# S 

a S f! s a 

£ j 

i <—i- 


s 1 


i- -j 


Ji I 1 

1 

|- 0 -if 

!. -L V 


; 


1. We are but lit - tie Tod - die - kins, And we are ver-y small; 

2. We are but lit - tie Tod-die-kins, Yet come to school each day, 

3. We are but lit • tie Tod - die - kins, And can’t do much, we know, 



d—*=bd» 

h- 1 

: — 1 


, : 

—i—i—n 

.JL L J 

a s a a ^azi 

i : a■ :i izr-r^-n 

.Ell. J 

» *a sj 

i m za 

r0 ari- II 

^ r 

' ^ 

- -0 

1 •+ t 


w - - - 


And yet we can both jump and run, And ver - y sel - dom fall. 

And learn to read and write and sing And many a pret - ty play. 

But still we think we must be nice, For poo - pie love us so. 












































































































241 

LITTLE JACK HORNER 

Arthur Jarratt 


Allegro, mf 


1— 

jv ,n -k— p—xn 

rf—1^-— —r—j 



-4 — j- r -h — 1 

s 

} a r. "' v 

Lit - tie Jack Hor - ner 

„--* 

r 

sat in the cor - ner, 

- --f.*.. - * 


|=j===3>= 1 l | 


A i_ ib>. AAA 


1/ ... N r n- , ^ n. 


. k .. (V, pr 


-P—</—J~d 





|W-'—to*—f...«--« 

€ 

.■ ■ ■ ■ ■ J . « 


^ r 

Eat - ing a Christ - mas 

| .. 

S 

P 

ie I He { 

4=f=n 

>ut in his thumb, and 

- - # — * - 




HE *zz±rri=— i 

<L/ 

pull’d out a plum, And 

-u-^ --— 

said, “What a good boy am 





I, am II" and said, “What a good boy am II" 







































































242 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 

riARY, flARY, QUITE CONTRARY 


Arthub Jabratt 


Al 

-M f 

legro moderate. 

j- j .iNqi 



A —!*—-£—\ -*-1 

i —r!— i j— 

Ma - ry, Ma - ry, q 

[uite con - tra - ry; 

#-F- 

1 i L -i 

1 ~t \r-*-t —5 

How does your gar - den 

eI s—=i=l 

-: 

i -^ r H 

f ——f- 


--——F-1 

- -i- J 


rf-lt , — 

^ Solo. 

mp fs , 

f 

tT f\^_# 1 1 

grow ?. 

-1 ;■ 

—«----J— 

F • F * 

1 1 

Sil - ver bells and 

—F—-f- 1 -- 

—1' «-*- 

f r 

coc - kle shells, And 

- -j--f- 

f— — 

M=-1 .. 

e— r-=a 

Chorus. 

-j=? j„ 

fr f'~JS M 

—4 • »• h ^—? 

col - um-bines all in a 

i 

-JL • jL * 

g r-... "• 

row;. Sil - ver bells and 

r Mr izr = 


Accomp. 



coc - kle shells. And col - um - bines all in a row. 



53* 

B-F~~-* ’ 

w . .- — f ■ —n 

* 

-p-r=n 


f 1- - —j 


5 • i ..y.i IJ 

B 

— 1- F 

r * 1 



,-— ---J 

H - U -1 

p 

4 —-— u 


GAME.—Children to be seated in rows; one stands out to sing the solo, and walks 
up to each row, imitating watering plants at the words “ bells,*' “shells,” or “oolnrn- 
bines;” during the solo, the children in the row nearest the singer jump up, anyone 
lamping up at the wrong time is to take the nlace of the solo singer. 








































































































































































245 


DICKORY, DICKORY, DOCK 


Arthur Jarratt 




Mc/derato. 


mp, 




Dick - o - ry, dick • o - ry, 




£ 
































































































246 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 

A WALK 


Old English words by W, L. R. 


Tune 44 Poor Robbin’s Maggot.* 


i 


3 




3 =* 


*=#= 


as 


1. As I was walk - ing one fine day, I met a cow and 


& 


i± 


V’ , '* ; -f 



T m N 



N. 

K a 1 

> 


f\ 


1 1 

I P r_1 

r 

\ t Am 


2 9 . 2 . m 9 m 

J - - m 

r- S 


Z. i... ^ .. . m 

w "■ w w 1 ' ' "r 

- 1 

1 


heard her say, 11 Moo, moo,” said the cow, “ moo, moo,” said she. 





2 As I was walking that fine day, 

I gave that cow some grass and hay, 

" Moo, moo/’ said the cow, “ moo, moo,” said she, 
“ Oh ! I’m very glad that I met with thee.” 

8 As I was walking one fine day, 

I met a dog and heard him say, 

tl Bow, wow,” said the dog, “ bow, wow,” said he, 

“ Pray, what have you got to give tome?” 


NOTE.—The cries of animals may be imitated at the end of each verse. 

























































































A WALK 


247 


4 As I was walking that fine day, 

I gave that dog some bones on a tray, 

“ Bow, wow,” said the dog, “ bow, wow,” said he, 

“ Oh, I’m very glad I met with thee.” 

6 As I was walking one fine day, 

I met a cat and heard her say, 

“ Mew, mew,” said the cat, “ mew, mew,” said she, 

“ Pray, what have you got to give to me? ” 

6 As I was walking that fine day, 

I gave that cat some curds and whey, 

“ Mew, mew,” said the cat, “ mew, mew,” said she- 
“ Oh, I’m very glad I met with thee.” 

7 As I was walking one fine day, 

I met an ass and heard him say, 

“ Re-haw.” said the ass, “he-haw,” said he. 

“ Pray, what have you got to give to me?” 

8 As I was walking that fine day, 

I gave that ass some clover grey, 

“ He-haw,” said the ass, “ he-haw,” said he, 
u Oh, I’m very glad I met with thee.” 

9 As I was walking one fine day, 

I met a pig ’mid my flowers at play, 

“ Grunt, grunt,” said the pig, “ grunt, grunt,” said he. 

“ Pray, what have you got to give to me? ” 

10 As I was walking that fine day, 

I gave pig the stick and sent him away, 

“ Squeak, squeak,” said the Pig, “ squeak, squeak,” said he, 

#< Oh, I’m very grieved I met with thee.” 

—15 


Vol. I 


248 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 


PRETTY PIGEON 


From the German of Andrba 
T ranslated by Elmia 



-jhr - K I j- 

-ft—N—T—j 

“N V -4 - 


vf ..h . . 9 

“1 » » 

J J 4 


PK 7 "S : n 

« . * j j 

^ -5 t n 

V W 1 “J 

i A 0* M 

_ 

” 9 9 0 



self a - loof; Ev - er walk-ing 

dear, I pray; Let me kiss thee < 

9 9 9 9 

to and fro, Ver - y state-ly, 
>nce or twice, Thou wilt find it 

±.i 

• /AV * « 

^... 

— ^ ^ | 


A ^ #1 


* 

r r j r r 5 : 

w 

w -r-1- 

pcq*~r f 5 


r :i i 




I!—g... 1 . 1 .=p— 




0 

W 



i 






m 






ver - y slow; Show to me thy pur - pie wing, I'll give thee corn, thou 
ver - y nice; Milk I'll give thee in a cup, And in my lap I’ll 


I 


t 


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i=t==t: 


£ 





ACTIONS.—1st. Verse —Imitate a Pigeon’s walk. 

2d. Verse—I mitate lifting and stroking a Cat 



















































































































































249 


RIDE A COCK-HORSE 


Allegretto 


Arthur Jarratt 


-fr-r 

:— r n—H r 

h N P p 

i, ■ 


u U v 1c 1 d 


^ k. ' - -I ^ I 


U 

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P P J 2 F « 

“ 


i • F • 

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Ride a cock-horse to Ban - bur-y Cross, To see an old la - dy ride 


--r—T 111 

# 

> 

— 

F —^—• 

—i— h— 

—-F > - 4 n 

--h— -h—J 

f— * 

1/— 

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4:- 

V -1- V — 

- 0 - 

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4=. 




“drb—PP ^ -fc... k 



-a-k-K—^-l 

-M - - .m. 

/T, h k J- P, ,i 0 •. p... P. 

r * J 


i.J h .jlJ . 

ym^ g * • * J L 0 J 

! J' 0 


r L/ ; w * 

vJy 9 u d 

m • - ^ 


tJ " F 9 \ 

1 v 1 

She shall have mu - sic wher- ev - er she goes;* Rings on her fin-gers, and 

> > > 

* « S' *&' 0 0 0 ^ 

u m 0 r r 


r r f * 

0 0 i , 

L m 0 

F - 4 * « 1 

r r i v 

p i i 

|— 1 » , | 1 


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4 = —t - UJ 



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41 

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r J V N 

P N P *1»l 

r 

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ACTIONS.—Point to fingers and toes. Sit down, and whilst nursing one leg, swing it 
up and down in time to tlxe music; at mark *, click twice with the tongue. 



























































































































250 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 


BUSY BEE 

Words and Muaio by Ione 






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2. I'm a lit - tie 

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In the mead - ows 
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Here I go, 

there I go, 

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o - ver. 

All the day, 

bright and gay, 

Where the flow’rs are 

bloom - ing. 

Off I wing, 

sweets to bring, 

Till the day is 

o - ver. 



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251 


TOM, THE PIPER’S SON 


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Tom, Tom was a pip - er’s son, He learned to pi 

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Tom with his pipe made such a noise, That he 

Tom with his pipe did play with such skill, That 
He met old Dame Trot, with a bask - et of eggs, He 

As Dol - ly was milk - ing her cow one day, Tom 
Tom saw a cross fel - low was beat - ing an ass, Heav-y 























































































252 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 


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pleas - ed both the girls and boys; They’d dance and skip while 
those who heard him could nev-erkeep still; As soon as he played they ho¬ 
used his pipe, and she used her legs; She danced a - bout till her 
took out his pipe, and be - gan to play; So Doll and the cow they 
la - den with pots, pans, dish - es, and glass; He took out his pipe, and he 





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he did play, “ 0 - ver the hills and far a - way.” 

gan to dance, E - ven pigs on their hind legs would aft - er him prance, 

eggs were all broke, She be - gan for to fret, but he laughed at the joke, 

danced a lilt, Till the pail fell down and the milk was all spilt, 

played them a tune, And the poor donkey’s load was light-ened full soon. 




- 9 - 

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THE fULLER’S LITTLE CHILDREN 


C. Carr Moseley 



1. Lit - tie boy, lit - tie boy, where go - est thou? 

2. Lit - tie girl, lit - tie girl, stay with us here; 

3. Lit - tie ones, lit - tie ones, day - light is past; 

4. Lit - tie girl, lit - tie boy, morn-ing is come; 


“0 - ver the 
Or in the 
Come and lie 
The ant and 







































































































THE MILLER’S LITTLE CHILDREN 


253 




can - not stay now, 
moth - er, so dear, 
run - ning so 
quick - ly is 

A. • 


He works all day in the old stone mill.” 

She’s wait - ing me now, and I must a - way.” 

And nod- ding, nid nod - ding are two small heads. 

And work be - ing o - ver, we'll all clap hands. 


i J J J 4- i 



Here move hands or head. 











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wheel goes, 
is bright, 
to rest, 
once more. 




















































































































254 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MTTSXO 


TROTTINQ, RUNNING AND HIGH STEPPING HORSES 


In the following rhythm three different movements are combined into one, and if 
the exercise is rightly used, should be of great value. The first twelve measures are 
for the trotting horses, and should represent this movement as nearly as possible. 
First the step should be taken with the right foot leading, the body very relaxed, the 
arm and head swinging easily. If it accentuates the movement to let the right arm 
strike the right leg each time, do so, and, of course, when the left foot leads, the left 
arm will strike the left leg. It will be best to play the entire twelve measures through, 
letting the right foot lead, then repeat, using the left foot. Most of the weight of the 
body should be on the same side, with the foot leading, and the body should also be 
turned slightly to the right, or left, iu the direction ot the foot which is leading. 

In the running musio following, the simple running step is taken. 

In the exercise for high stepping horses, the head and body are held very erect, 
the back strong and straight, while, as each note is played, the legs are raised alter¬ 
nately, right leg first, bending and raising as high as possible, thus the muscles of the 
thigh, leg and hip are brought into play. The lower leg, in raising, should not be at 
right angles with the body, but rather" as near straight as possible, the knee being 
level with the hip and foot, pointed toe downward, so that the ball of the foot will 
touch before the heel. Once trying this exercise will not make perfect, but the real 
benefit will come only after many attempts, and it will be seen that the exercise is a 
fasciuating one to children. 

It will be found quite difficult to keep one’s poise, but the control which is gained 
through the praotice of the exercise is very helpful. The correct standing and walk¬ 
ing position should be spoken of, stepping first upon the ball of the foot, then upon 
the heel. 

Clara Louise Anderson 


Trotting Horses (16 bars to , / 2 minute) 











































































































TROTTING, RUNNING AND HIGH STEPPING HORSES 255 

















































































































256 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 



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HARCH IN Bt7 nAJOR 


257 


Clara Louise Andersgh 




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From Instrumental Characteristic Rhythms. Copyright* 1905. Used by permission. 




































































































































KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 


258 



marcaio. 




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MARCH IN Bt> MAJOR 


259 



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260 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 


RAIN DROPS 


In executing this composition, the greatest precision and delicacy of touch is 
necessary. The time must be perfect throughout the piece. The rhythm naturally 
is disconnected, and each note should stand out alone, clear aud distinct. 

To represent the pattering of rain drops, the little feet must be guided by the 
pattering of the musical theme, and for this effect a light wrist staccato must be 
used. The gradation of tone, growing louder or softer will indicate to the children 
the force of rain, and by this they will cultivate a quick perception for tone quality 


Clara L. Anderson 






From Instrumental Characteristic Rhythms. Copyright, 189(5, by C. L. Anderson. 

Used by permission. 





















































































































































RAIN DROPS 


261 































































































































































2G2 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 

HORNING SONG 


Robert Schumann 




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By permission from Music for the Child 'World, by Mari Ruel Hofer. 
Copyright, 1900, by C. F. Summy Co. 






























































































































MORNING SONG 


263 


6_a 








(Quasi Coro.) 


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Vol. I—16 















































































































































264 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 


MORNING MOOD 


Abridged 


Edward Gbieg 



a 3 

By permission from Music for the Child World, by Mari Ruel Hofer. 
(Jopyright, 1900, by C. F. Summv Ca. 






























































































































MORNING MOOD 


265 

















































































































































266 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 




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DANCE OF THE FROST ELVES 


267 


In Frost-land live the Giants bold, 

And Pixies keen, who make the oold; 

They freeze the earth and bind the stream* 
While you and I are deep in dreams. 


Edward Grieg, 0 

Motto Allegro e sempre staccato, (a) ^ * 

• •. • - —^ 1 

p. 12, No. 4. 

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Sempre staccato refers to all the accompaniment. 

By permission from Music for the Child World, by Mari Bael Hofefc 
Copyright, 1900 by C. F. Summy Co. 













































































































268 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 
























































































































































DANCE OF THE FROST ELVES 


269 



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270 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 
A FIELD HOUSE 


The city mouse lives in a house 
The garden mouse lives in a bower; 

He’s friendly with the frogs and toads 
And sees the pretty plants in flower .—Christina Rossetti 


Mysterious. 


John Mokrejs 



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By permission from Music for the Child World, by Mari Ruel Hofer. 
Copyright, 1900, by C. F. Summy Co. 











































































































THE FROQS 


Arr. by A. C. Graham 



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By permission from Music for the Child World, by Mari Ruel Hofer. 
Copyright, 1900, by C. F. Summy Co. 

















































































272 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 


SPRING’S AWAKENING 


Spring is calling, spring is calling, 
Bud and seedlet upward creep; 

Birds are coming, brooklets running, 
Nature’s helpers—wake from sleep. 


Bright and cheerful. 


Ecgew Gayrhos 






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By permission from Music for the Child World, by Mari Ruel Hofer. 
Copyright, 1900, by C. F. Sammy Ca 



















































































































SPRING’S AWAKENING 


m 



THE RAINDROPS 


Down the little drops patter, 

Making a musical clatter; 

Out of the clouds they throng, 

Freshness of heaven they scatter, 

Little dark rootlets among .—Lucy Larcom 


Abridged 



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Mendelssohn 

Allegro molto. 


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By permission 
1—18 


from Music for the Child World, by Mari Ruei Hofei. 
Copyright, 1900, by C. F. Summy Ca 


























































































































274 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIO 



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THE RAINDROPS 


275 



























































































































276 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 


CARPENTER THEME 


"Mid shavings and sawdust and hammer blows 
A wonderful building grows and grows/’ 

Prom Haydh 





By permission from Muticfor the Child World, by Mari Ruel Hofer. 
Copyright, 1900, by C. F. Summy Co. 





































































































CARPENTER THEME 


277 



Cling! clang! hear the anvil ringing^ 

Cling! this song 'tis ever singing. 

Abridged G. F. Handel 



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By permission from Music for the Child World , by Mari Buel Hofen 
Copyright, 1900, by C. F. Sammy Co. 
















































































































278 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 

















































































































































ON THE RAILROAD TRAIN 


279 


Choo, choo, choo. 

Did you aver ride on a railroad train 
And feel the wheels go round, 

And hear the whistle go toot, toot, toot* 
With its shrill and piercing sound. 


W. C. E. Seeboeck 




By permission from Music for the Child World, by Mari Ruel Hofer* 
Copyright, 1900, by C. F. Summy Co. 

Vol. 1—17 

































































































280 


KINDERGARTEN SONGS AND MUSIC 



CRADLE SONG 

C Composed 1843) 


Baby dear, baby dear; 

In thy cradle gently swinging, 
Softly is thy mother singing, 
Lullaby to thee.— S. Lover 


Not fast. Allegretto simplice 


Robert Schumann 



By permission from Music for the Child World , by Mari Ruel Hofer, 
Copyright, 1900, by C. F. Suramy Ca 


































































































CRADLE SONG 


281 


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BIBLE STORIES 

FROM THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT 


283 





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HOW THE BIBLE CAME TO ENGLAND 


285 


HOW THE BIBLE CAME TO ENGLAND. 

I N the days when King Alfred ruled England, there was 
no way for the people to learn the stories of the Bible 
except by going to the priest and asking him to tell them 
aloud. Very few could read, even if they were nobles of 
wealth and position, and even those who could do so, did 
not know how to translate the Latin texts which were used 
in the churches. 

This troubled the king greatly, for he believed that the 
people should be given an opportunity to understand the 
Bible when it was read by the priests, and to read it for 
themselves if they wished. So he discussed the matter 
with his friends. They told him that there were only a 
few parts of the Bible in English, and explained how diffi¬ 
cult it would be to translate such a long book. 

This did not deter the king, and he, or some man under 
his direction, set about making a book which English peo> 
pie could read. Before the king died, in 901, the book 
was finished and given to the people. 

But this was only a beginning. About two hundred 
years later the Normans* conquered England, and brought 
in a new language, which changed the old one so much 
that in time people could not understand it. A new 
Bible was needed. A powerful preacher, named Wy- 
cliffe, undertook to make it. This was completed in 1384. 
Now many people were very angry with Wycliffe for this, 
and after his death they passed a law to prevent anyone 
from translating the Bible, or even reading the one which 
he had written. 

Of course people wanted Bibles more than ever, and 
there were many to translate it for them. One of these 
was a man named Tyndale, and after him others followed 
swiftly. Finally the king of England, James I, decided 
that the time had come for him to have a version made 
which would be used by all the people in the churches and 
homes. He gathered together all the greatest scholars, 
and told them what to do. In the year 1611 it was ready, 
and this is the book which is used today. 


286 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


THE CREATION OF THE WORLD. 
[genesis, chap. 1.] 

I N the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 
And the earth was without form, and void, and dark¬ 
ness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit 
of God moved upon the face of the waters. 

And God said, “Let there be light”; and there was 
light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God 
divided the light from the darkness. And God called the 
light Day and the darkness He called Night. And the 
evening and the morning were the first day. 

And God said: “Let there be a firmament in the midst 
of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the 
waters.” And God made the firmament and divided 
the waters which were under the firmament from the 
waters which were above the firmament, and it was so. 
And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening 
and the morning were the second day. 

And God said: “Let the waters under the heaven be 
gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land 
appear”; and it was so. And God called the dry land 
Earth; and the gathering together of the waters he called 
the Seas; and God saw that it was good. 

And God said: “Let the earth bring forth grass, the 
herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after 
his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth”; and it 
was so. And the earth brought forth grass and herb 
yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, 
whose seed was in itself, after his kind; and God saw 
that it was good. And the evening and the morning 
were the third day. 

And God said: “Let there be lights in the firmament 
of the heaven to divide the day from the night, and let 
them be for signs, and for season, and for days and years; 
and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven 


THE CREATION OF THE WORLD 


287 


to give light upon the earth”; and it was so. And God 
made two great lights, the greater light to rule the day, 
and the lesser light to rule the night; He made the stars 
also. And God set them in the firmament of heaven to 
give light upon the earth, and to rule over the day and 
over the night, and to divide the night from the darkness; 
and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the 
morning were the fourth day. 

And God said: 4 4 Let the waters bring forth abundantly 
the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly 
above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. ’ ’ And 
God created great whales, and every living creature that 
moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly after 
their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind; and God 
saw that it was good. 

And God blessed them, saying: 44 Be fruitful and multi¬ 
ply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply 
in the earth.” And the evening and the morning were 
the fifth day. 

And God said: 44 Let the earth bring forth the living 
creature after his kind—cattle and creeping thing, and 
beast of the earth after his kind”; and it was so. And 
God made everything that creepeth upon the earth after 
his kind; and God saw that it was good. 

And God said: 44 Let us make Man in our own image, 
after our likeness, and let him have dominion over the fish 
of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, 
and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that 
creepeth upon the earth.” So God created man in His 
own image, in the image of God created He him; male and 
female created He them. And God blessed them, and God 
said unto them: 

4 4 Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish the earth, and 
subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and 
over the fowl of the air and over every living thing that 
moveth upon the earth.” 

And God said: 44 Behold, I have given you every herb 
bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth; and 
every tree, in the which is a fruit yielding seed; to you it 
shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and 


288 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth 
npon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every 
green herb for meat.’ ’ And it was so. 

And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, 
it was very good. And the evening and the morning were 
the sixth day. 

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all 
the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his 
work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh 
day from all His work which He had made. And God 
blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it, because that 
in it He had rested from all His work which He created 
and made. 


THE GARDEN OF EDEN. 

[genesis, 2-3.] 

iD the Lord God planted a garden eastward in 



Eden; and there He put the man whom He had 


* formed. And out of the ground He made to grow 
every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food; 
the tree of life also on the midst of the garden, and the 
tree of knowledge of good and evil. And a river went out 
of Eden to water the garden, and from thence it was 
parted, and became into four heads. 

And the Lord God took the man and put him into the 
Garden of Eden to dress it and keep it. And the Lord 
God commanded the man, saying: ‘ ‘ Of every tree of the 
garden thou mayest freely eat; but of the tree of the 
knowledge of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it, for in 
the day that thou eatest of it thou shalt surely die.” 

And the Lord God said: “It is not good that man 
should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.” 

And out of the ground the Lord God formed every 
beast of the field, and every fowl of the air, and brought 
them to Adam to see what he would call them, and what¬ 
soever Adam called every living creature, that was the 


THE GARDEN OF EDEN 


289 


name thereof. And Adam gave names to all cattle, and 
to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but 
for Adam there was not found a help meet for him. 

And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon 
Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs and 
closed up the flesh instead thereof; and the rib which the 
Lord God had taken from man, made He a woman, and 
brought her unto the man. 

And Adam said: 4 ‘This is now bone of my bones, and 
flesh of my flesh, and she shall be called Woman, because 
she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave 
his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and 
they shall be one flesh.” 

And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and 
they were not ashamed. 

Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the 
field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto 
the woman: “Yea, hath God said ye shall not eat of 
every tree of the garden?” 

And the woman said unto the serpent: “We may eat of 
the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of 
the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath 
said, ‘Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest 
ye die.’ ” 

And the serpent said unto the woman: “Ye shall not 
surely die; for God doth know that in the day ye eat 
thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be 
as gods, knowing good and evil.” 

And when the woman saw that the tree was good for 
food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to 
be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof 
and did eat, and gave also unto her husband, with her, 
and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, 
and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig 
leaves together and made themselves aprons. 

And they heard the voice of the Lord God, walking in 
the garden in the cool of the day; and Adam and his wife 
hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God 
amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God 
called unto Adam, and said unto him, 


290 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


44 Where art thou?” 

And he said: “I heard thy voice in the garden, and I 
was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.” 

And He said: 44 Who told thee that thou wast naked? 
Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee 
that thou shouldest not eat?” 

And the man said: 44 The woman whom thou gavest to 
he with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.” 

And the Lord God said unto the woman: 44 What is this 
that thou hast done?” 

And the woman said: 4 4 The serpent beguiled me, and I 
did eat.” 

Then the Lord God said unto the serpent. 4 4 Because 
thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and 
above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou 
go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. And 
I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and be¬ 
tween thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and 
thou shalt bruise his heel.” 

Unto the woman He said: 4 4 1 will greatly multiply thy 
sorrow and thy conception. In sorrow thou shalt bring 
forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, 
and he shall rule over thee.” 

And unto Adam He said: 44 Because thou hast heark¬ 
ened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree 
of which I commanded thee, saying, 4 Thou shalt not eat 
of it/ cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt 
thou eat of it all the days of thy life. Thorns also and 
thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the 
herb of the field. In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat 
bread till thou return unto the ground, for out of it thou 
wast taken. For dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt 
return.” 

And Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was 
the mother of all living. Unto Adam also and to his wife 
did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them. 

And the Lord God said: 44 Behold, the man is become 
as one of us, to know good and evil”; and now, lest he 
put forth his hand and take also of the tree of life, and 
eat, and live forever, therefore the Lord God sent him 


CAIN AND ABEL 


291 


forth from the Garden of Eden to till the ground from 
whence he was taken. 

So He drove out the man, and He placed at the east of 
the garden of Eden cherubims, and a flaming sword 
which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of 
life. 


CAIN AND ABEL. 
[genesis, 4.] 



ND Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived and 


bare Cain, and said: “I have gotten a man from 


* the Lord. ’ ’ And she again bare his brother Abel. 
And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of 
the ground. 

And in process of time it came to pass that Cain 
brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the 
Lord. And Abel also brought of the firstlings of his 
flock, and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect 
to Abel, and to his offering. But unto Cain and to his 
offering, He had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, 
and his countenance fell. 

And the Lord said unto Cain: “Why art thou wroth, 
and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, 
shalt thou not be accepted? And if thou doest not well, 
sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, 
and thou shalt rule over him.” 

And Cain talked with Abel his brother, and it came to 
pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up 
against Abel his brother, and slew him. 

And the Lord said unto Cain: “Where is Abel thy 
brother ?” 

And Cain said: “I know not; am I my brother’s 
keeper?’’ 

And He said: “What hast thou done? The voice of 
thy brother’s blood crieth out to me from the ground. 
And now thou art cursed from the earth which hath 
opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy 
hand. When thou tillest the ground it shall not hence- 


292 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


forth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vaga¬ 
bond shalt thou be in the earth.’’ 

And Cain said unto the Lord: 4 ‘My punishment is 
greater than I can bear. Behold, thou hast driven me 
out this day from the face of the earth and from Thy 
face shall I be hid; and I shall be a fugitive and a vaga¬ 
bond in the earth; and it shall come to pass that every¬ 
one that findeth me shall slay me. \ 9 
And the Lord said unto him: “Therefore whosoever 
slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken upon him seven¬ 
fold.’ ’ And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any 
finding him should kill him. 

And Cain went out from the presence of the Lord and 
dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden. 


ABRAHAM AND ISAAC. 

[genesis, 18 ff.] 

ID the Lord appeared to Abraham in the plains of 



Mamre, and he sat in the tent door in the heat of 


A * the day; and he lifted up his eyes and looked, and 
lo, three men stood by him. And when he saw them, he 
ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself 
toward the ground, and said: 

“My lord, if now I have found favor in thy sight, pass 
not away, I pray thee, from thy servant. Let a little 
water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and 
rest yourselves under the tree, and I will fetch a morsel 
of bread, and comfort ye your hearts. After that ye 
shall pass on, for therefore are ye come to your servant.” 

And they said: “Do so, as thou hast said.” 

And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and 
said: “Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, 
knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. ’ ’ And Abra¬ 
ham ran unto the herd and fetched a calf, tender and good, 
and gave it unto a young man, and he hasted to dress 
it. And he took butter and milk, and the calf which he 


ABRAHAM AND ISAAC 


293 


had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them 
under the tree, and they did eat. 

And they said unto him: “Where is Sarah, thy wife?” 

And he said: “Behold, in the tent.” 

And he said: “I will certainly return unto thee ac¬ 
cording to thy time of life; and lo, Sarah, thy wife, shall 
have a son.” And Sarah beard it in the tent door, which 
was behind him. 

Now Abraham and Sarah were old, and well stricken 
in age, therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying: 
“After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord 
being old also?” 

And the Lord said unto Abraham: “Wherefore did 
Sarah laugh, saying, ‘ Shall I of a surety bear a child, 
which am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? At 
the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to 
the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” 

Then Sarah denied, saying: “I laughed not,” for she 
was afraid. 

And He said: “Nay, but thou didst laugh.” 

And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the 
Lord did unto Sarah as He had spoken. For Sarah con¬ 
ceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set 
time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham 
called the name of his son that was born unto him Isaac. 
And Abraham was an hundred years old when his son 
Isaac was born unto him. And the child grew and was 
weaned, and Abraham made a grand feast the same day 
that Isaac was ^weaned. 

And it came to pass after these things that God did 
tempt Abraham, and said unto him: ‘ ‘ Abraham! ’ ’ And 
He said: “Behold, here I am!” 

And He said: “Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, 
whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah, 
and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the 
mountains which I will tell thee of. ’’ 

And Abraham rose up early in the morning and sad¬ 
dled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and 
Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, 
and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had 


294 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his 
eyes and saw the place afar off. 

And Abraham said nnto his young men: 44 Abide ye 
here with the ass, and I and the lad will go yonder and 
worship, and come again to you.” 

And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and 
laid it upon Isaac his son, and he took the fire in his 
hand, and a knife, and they went both of them together. 

And Isaac spoke unto Abraham, his father, and he 
said: “My father!” 

And Abraham said: 4 4 Here am I, my son. ’ 9 

And he said: 4 4 Behold the fire and the wood; but where 
is the lamb for a burnt offering?” 

And Abraham said: 4 4 My son, God will provide Himself 
a lamb for a burnt offering . 9 9 So they went, both of them 
together. 

And they came to the place which God had told him of, 
and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in 
order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar 
upon the wood. 

And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the 
knife to slay his son. And the angel of the Lord called to 
him out of heaven and said: 44 Abraham, Abraham!” 

And he said: 4 4 Here am 1 . 9 9 

And he said: 4 4 Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither 
do thou any thing unto him, for now I know that thou 
fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine 
only son, from me.” 

And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and be¬ 
hold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his 
horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered 
him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. 

And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of 
the heavens the second time, and said: 4 4 By myself I have 
sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this 
thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that 
in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will 
multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the 
sand which is upon the seashore; and thy seed shall pos¬ 
sess the gate of his enemies. And in thy seed shall all 


NOAH AND HIS ARK 


295 


the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast 
obeyed my voice. ’ * 

So Abraham returned unto his young men, and they 
rose up and went together to Beersheba, and Abraham 
dwelt at Beersheba. 


NOAH AND HIS ARK. 

[from genesis, chap. 6-8.J 

N OAH was a righteous man, and walked with God 
And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Ja- 
pheth. And the earth was corrupt before God, 
and the earth was filled with violence. And God saw the 
earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had cor¬ 
rupted their way upon the earth. 

And God said unto Noah, “The end of all flesh is come 
before me; for the earth is filled with violence through 
them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 
Make thee an ark of gopher wood; rooms shalt thou make 
in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with 
pitch. And this is how thou shalt make it: the length of 
the ark three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, 
and the height of it thirty cubits. A light shalt thou 
make to the ark, and to a cubit shalt thou finish it up¬ 
ward; and the door of the ark shalt thou set in the side 
thereof; with lower, second, and third stories shalt thou 
make it. And I, behold, I do bring the flood of waters 
upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath 
of life, from under heaven; every thing that is in the 
earth shall die. But I will establish my covenant with 
thee; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy 
sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee. And 
of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt 
thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; 
they shall be male and female. Of the birds after their 
kind, and of the cattle after their kind, of every creeping 
thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort shall 
Vol. 1—18 


296 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


come unto thee, to keep them alive. And take thou unto 
thee of all food that is eaten, and gather it to thee; and 
it shall he for food for thee, and for them.” 

Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded 
him, so did he. 

And Jehovah said unto Noah, “Come thou and all thy 
house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before 
me in this generation. For yet seven days, and I will 
cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty 
nights; and every living thing that I have made will I 
destroy from off the face of the ground.’’ 

After the seven days, the waters of the flood were upon 
the earth. In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in 
the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, 
on the same day were all the fountains of the great deep 
broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. 
And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty 
nights. 

In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, 
and Japlieth, the sons of Noah, and Noah’s wife, and the 
three wives of his sons with them, into the ark; they, and 
every beast after its kind, and all the cattle after their 
kind, and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the 
earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every 
bird of every sort. They went in unto Noah into the ark, 
two and two of all flesh wherein is the breath of life. 
And they went in, went in male and female of all flesh, 
as God commanded him: and Jehovah shut him in. And 
the flood was forty days upon the earth; and the waters 
increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lifted up above 
the earth. And the waters prevailed, and increased 
greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face 
of the waters. And the waters prevailed exceedingly 
upon the earth; and all the high mountains that were 
under the whole heaven were covered. Fifteen cubits 
upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were 
covered. 

All flesh died that moved upon the earth, both birds, 
and cattle, and beasts, and every creeping thing that 
creepeth upon the earth, and every man: all in whose 


NOAH AND HIS ARK 


297 


nostrils was the breath of the spirit of life, of all that 
was on the dry land, died. And every living thing was 
destroyed that was upon the face of the ground, both 
man, and cattle, and creeping things, and birds of the 
heavens; and they were destroyed from the earth; and 
Noah only was left, and they that were with him in the 
ark. And the waters prevailed upon the earth a hundred 
and fifty days. 

And God remembered Noah, and all the beasts, and all 
the cattle that were with him in the ark: and God made a 
wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged; 
the fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven 
were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained; 
and the waters returned from off the earth continually: 
and after the end of a hundred and fifty days the waters 
decreased. And the ark rested in the seventh month, on 
the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of 
Ararat. And the waters decreased continually until the 
tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the 
month, were the tops of the mountains seen. 

At the end of forty days, Noah opened the window of 
the ark which he had made: and he sent forth a raven, 
and it went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried 
up from off the earth. And he sent forth a dove from 
him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face 
of the ground; but the dove found no rest for the sole 
of her foot, and she returned unto him to the ark; for 
the waters were on the face of the whole earth: and he 
put forth his hand, and took her, and brought her in unto 
him into the ark. And he stayed yet other seven days; 
and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; and the 
dove came in to him at eventide; and, lo, in her mouth 
an olive-leaf plucked off: so Noah knew that the waters 
were abated from off the earth. And he stayed yet other 
seven days, and sent forth the dove; and she returned 
not again to him any more. 

In the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the 
first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off 
the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark, 
and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dried. 


298 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day 
of the month, was the earth dry. 

God spake unto Noah, saying, “Go forth from the ark, 
thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons’ wives 
with thee. Bring forth with thee every living thing that 
is with thee of all flesh, both birds, and cattle, and every 
creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they 
may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and 
multiply upon the earth.” And Noah went forth, and 
his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him: 
every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, what¬ 
soever moveth upon the earth, after their families, went 
forth out of the ark. 

And Jehovah said in his heart, “I will not again curse 
the ground any more for man’s sake, for that the imagina¬ 
tion of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I 
again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. 
While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and 
cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night 
shall not cease.” 

And God spake unto Noah, and to his sons with him, 
saying, “And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, 
and with your seed after you; and with every living 
creature that is with you, the birds, the cattle, and every 
beast of the earth with you; of all that go out of the ark, 
even every beast of the earth. And I will establish my 
covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any 
more by the waters of the flood; neither shall there any 
more be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God said, 
i 1 This is the token of the covenant which I make between 
me and you and every living creature that is with you, 
for perpetual generations: I do set my bow in the cloud, 
and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and 
the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a 
cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the 
cloud, and I will remember my covenant, which is between 
me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and 
the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all 
flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look 
upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant 


JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN 


299 


between God and every living creature of all flesh that 
is upon the earth.” And God said unto Noah, “This is 
the token of the covenant which I have established be¬ 
tween me and all flesh that is upon the earth.’ ’ 


JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN. 

[from genesis, chap. 37-47.] 

J OSEPH, being seventeen years old, was feeding the 
flock with his brethren; and he brought evil report 
of them unto their father. Now Israel loved Joseph 
more than all his children, because he was the son of his 
old age: and he made him a coat of many colors. And his 
brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his 
brethren; and they hated him, and could not speak peace¬ 
ably unto him. 

And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it to his 
brethren: and they hated him yet the more. 

He said unto them, “Hear, I pray you, this dream 
which I have dreamed: for, behold, we were binding 
sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also 
stood upright; and, behold, your sheaves came round 
about, and made obeisance to my sheaf.” 

Amd his brethren said to him, “Shalt thou indeed 
reign over us? or shalt thou indeed have dominion over 
us?” And they hated him yet the more for his dreams, 
and for his words. 

He dreamed yet another dream, and told it to his 
brethren, and said, “Behold, I have dreamed yet a dream; 
and, behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars made 
obeisance to me.” 

And he told it to his father, and to his brethren; and 
his father rebuked him, and said unto him, “What is this 
dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother 
and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to 
thee to the earth?” 

His brethren envied him; but his father kept the saying 
in mind. 


300 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


And his brethren went to feed their father’s flock in 
Shechem. And Israel said nnto Joseph, 4 4 Are not thy 
brethren feeding the flock in Shechem! come, and I will 
send thee unto them.” And he said to him, “Here am 
I.” And he said to him, “Go now, see whether it is well 
with thy brethren, and well with the flock; and bring me 
word again.” 

So he sent him out of the vale of Hebron, and he came 
to Shechem. And a certain man found him, and, behold, 
he was wandering in the field: and the man asked him, 
saying, “What seekest thou!” 

And he said, “I am seeking my brethren: tell me, I 
pray thee, where they are feeding the flock.” 

The man said, * ‘ They are departed hence; for I heard 
them say, ‘ Let us go to Dothan.’ ” And Joseph went 
after his brethren, and found them in Dothan. 

And they saw him afar off, and before he came near 
unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. And 
they said to one another, “Behold, this dreamer cometh. 
Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him 
into one of the pits, and we will say, ‘ An evil beast hath 
devoured him: ’ and we shall see what will become of his 
dreams.” 

Reuben heard it, and delivered him out of their hand; 
and said, “Let us not take his life.” And Reuben said 
unto them, 4 ‘ Shed no blood; cast him into this pit that is 
in the wilderness, but lay no hand upon him: that he 
might deliver him out of their hand, to restore him to 
his father.” 

When Joseph was come unto his brethren, they stripped 
Joseph of his coat, the coat of many colors that was on 
him; and they took him, and cast him into the pit: and 
the pit was empty, there was no water in it. 

And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up 
their eyes and looked, and, behold, a caravan of Ishmael- 
ites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing 
spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to 
Egypt. And Judah said unto his brethren, “What profit 
is it if we slay our brother and conceal his blood! Come, 
and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and let not our 


JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN 


301 


hand be upon him; for he is our brother, our flesh.” 
And his brethren hearkened unto him. And there passed 
by Midianites, merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up 
Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites 
for twenty pieces of silver. And they brought Joseph 
into Egypt. 

Reuben returned unto the pit; and, behold, Joseph was 
not in the pit; and he rent his clothes. And he returned 
unto his brethren, and said, “The child is not; and I, 
whither shall I go I” 

And they took Joseph’s coat, and killed a he-goat, and 
dipped the coat in the blood; and they sent the coat of 
many colors, and they brought it to their father, and 
said, “This have we found: know now whether it is thy 
son’s coat or not?” 

He knew it, and said, “It is my son’s coat; an evil 
beast hath devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn 
in pieces.” And Jacob rent his garments, and put sack- 
cloth upon his loins, and mourned for his son many days. 
And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort 
him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, “For 
I will go down to the grave to my son mourning. ’ ’ And 
his father wept for him. 

And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Poti- 
phar, an officer of Pharaoh’s, the captain of the guard, 
an Egyptian, bought him of the hand of the Ishmaelites, 
that had brought him down thither. And Jehovah was 
with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was 
in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master 
saw that Jehovah was with him, and that Jehovah made 
all that he did to prosper in his hand. And Joseph found 
favor in his sight, and he ministered unto him: and he 
made him overseer over his house, and all that he had 
he put into his hand. From the time that he made him 
overseer in his house, and over all that he had, Jehovah 
blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; and the 
blessing of Jehovah was upon all that he had, in the house 
and in the field. 

And he left all that he had in Joseph’s hand; and he 
knew not aught that was with him, save the bread 


302 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


which he did eat. And Joseph was comely, and well- 
favored. 

And it came to pass after these things, that his master’s 
wife cast her eyes upon Joseph. And as she spake to 
Joseph day by day, he hearkened not unto her. And 
about this time, he went into the house to do his work; 
and there was none of the men in the house there within. 
And she caught him by his garment, and he left his gar¬ 
ment in her hand, and fled. And when she saw that he 
had left his garment in her hand, and was fled, she laid 
up his garment by her, until his master came home. 
And she spake unto him, saying, “The Hebrew servant, 
whom thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock 
me: and, as I lifted up my voice and cried, he left his 
garment by me, and fled out.’ 9 

When his master heard the words of his wife, which 
she spake unto him, saying, “After this manner did thy 
servant to me;” his wrath was kindled. And Joseph’s 
master took him, and put him into the prison, the 
place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was 
there in the prison. But Jehovah was with Joseph, and 
showed kindness unto him, and gave him favor in the 
sight of the keeper of the prison. And the keeper of the 
prison committed to Joseph’s hand all the prisoners that 
were in the prison; and whatsoever they did there, he was 
the doer of it. The keeper of the prison looked not to 
anything that was under his hand, because Jehovah was 
with him; and that which he did, Jehovah made it to 
prosper. 

After these things, the butler of the king of Egypt and 
and his baker offended their lord the king of Egypt. 
And Pharoah was wroth against his two officers, against 
the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bak¬ 
ers. He put them in ward in the house of the captain of 
the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was 
bound. The captain of the guard charged Joseph with 
them, and he ministered unto them: and they continued 
a season in ward. 

And they dreamed a dream both of them, each man his 
dream, in one night, each man according to the interpre- 


JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN 


303 


tation of his dream, the butler and the baker of the king 
of Egypt, who were bound in the prison. And Joseph 
came in unto them in the morning, and saw them, and, 
behold, they were sad. He asked Pharaoh’s officers that 
were with him in ward in his master’s house, saying, 
4 4 Wherefore look ye so sad to-day ? ’ ’ And they said unto 
him, “We have dreamed a dream, and there is none that 
can interpret it.” And Joseph said, “Do not interpreta¬ 
tions belong to God? tell it me, I pray you.” 

The chief butler told his dream to Joseph, and.said to 
him, “In my dream, behold, a vine was before me; and in 
the vine were three branches: and it was as though it 
budded, and its blossoms shot forth; and the clusters 
thereof brought forth ripe grapes: and Pharaoh’s cup 
was in my hand; and I took the grapes, and pressed them 
into Pharaoh’s cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh’s 
hand.” 

Jospeh said to him, “This is the interpretation of it: 
the three branches are three days; within yet three days 
shall Pharaoh lift up thy head, and restore thee unto thine 
office: and thou shalt give Pharaoh’s cup into his hand, 
after the former manner when thou wast his butler. But 
have me in thy remembrance when it shall be well with 
thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make 
mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this 
house: for indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the 
Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they 
should put me into the dungeon.” 

When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was 
good, he said unto Jospeh, “I also was in my dream, and, 
behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head: 
and in the uppermost basket there was of all manner of 
baked food for Pharaoh; and the birds did eat them out 
of the basket upon my head.” Joseph answered, “This 
is the interpretation thereof: the three baskets are three 
days; within yet three days shall Pharaoh lift up thy head 
from off thee, and shall hang thee on a tree; and the birds 
shall eat thy flesh from off thee.” And the third day, 
which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast unto all 
his servants: and he lifted up the head of the chief butler 


304 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


and the head of the chief baker among his servants. He 
restored the chief butler unto his butlership again; and he 
gave the cup into Pharoah’s hand: but he hanged the 
chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet did 
not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him. 

At the end of two full years, Pharaoh dreamed: and, 
behold, he stood by the river; there came up out of the 
river seven kine, well-favored and fat-fleslied; and they 
fed in the reed-grass. And, behold, seven other kine came 
up after them out of the river, ill-favored and lean- 
fleshed ; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the 
river. And the ill-favored and lean-fleshed kine did eat 
up the seven well-favored and fat kine. So Pharaoh 
awoke. 

He slept and dreamed a second time: and, behold, seven 
ears of grain came up upon one stalk, rank and good. 
And, behold, seven ears, thin and blasted with the east 
wind, sprung up after them. And the thin ears swal¬ 
lowed up the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh 
awoke, and, behold, it was a dream. And it came to pass 
in the morning that his spirit was troubled; and he sent 
and called for all the magicians of Egypt, and all the wise 
men thereof; and Pharaoh told them his dream; but there 
was none that could interpret them unto Pharaoh. 

Then spake the chief butler unto Pharaoh, saying, “I 
do remember my faults this day: Pharaoh was wroth 
with his servants, and put me in ward in the house of the 
captain of the guard, me and the chief baker: we dreamed 
a dream in one night, I and he; we dreamed each man 
according to the interpretation of his dream. There was 
with us there a young man, a Hebrew, servant to the cap¬ 
tain of the guard; and we told him, and he interpreted to 
us our dreams; to each man according to his dream he 
did interpret. And as he interpreted to us, so it was; me 
he restored unto mine office, and him he hanged. 

. Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought 
him hastily out of the dungeon; and he shaved himself, 
and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. 

Pharaoh said unto Joseph, “I have dreamed a dream, 
and there is none that can interpret it: and I have heard 


JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN 


305 


say of tliee, that when thou hearest a dream thou canst 
interpret it.” 

Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, “It is not in me: 
God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace,” and Pha¬ 
raoh spake unto Joseph, and told his dream. 

Joseph said, “The dream of Pharaoh is one: what 
God is about to do he hath declared unto Pharaoh. The 
seven good kine are seven years; and the seven good ears 
are seven years; the dream is one. And the seven lean 
and ill-favored kine that came up after them are seven 
years, and also the seven empty ears blasted with the 
east wind; they shall be seven years of famine. That is 
the thing which I spake unto Pharaoh: what God is about 
to do he hath showed unto Pharaoh. Behold, there come 
seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of 
Egypt: and there shall arise after them seven years of 
famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land 
of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land; and 
the plenty shall not be known in the land by reason of 
that famine which followeth; for it shall be very griev¬ 
ous. And for that the dream was doubled unto Pharaoh, 
it is because the thing is established by God, and God 
will shortly bring it to pass. Now therefore let Pharaoh 
look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the 
land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint 
overseers over the land, and take up the fifth part of the 
land of Egypt in the seven plenteous years. And let 
them gather all the food of these good years that come, 
and lay up grain under the hand of Pharaoh for food in 
the cities, and let them keep it. And the food shall be 
for a store to the land against the seven years of famine, 
which shall be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish 
not through the famine.” 

And the thing was good in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in 
the eyes of all his servants. 

Pharaoh said unto his servants, “Can we find such a 
one as this, a man in whom the spirit of God is?” And 
Pharaoh said unto Joseph, “Forasmuch as God hath 
showed thee all this, there is none so discreet and wise 
as thou: thou shalt be over my house, and according unto 
1—18 


306 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne 
will I be greater than thou.” And Pharaoh said unto 
Joseph, “See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.’’ 

He took off his signet ring from his hand, and put it 
upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine 
linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; and he made 
him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they 
cried before him, “Bow the knee:” and he set him over 
all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, 
“I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up 
his hand or his foot in all the land of Egypt.” And Pha¬ 
raoh called Joseph’s name Zaphenathpaneah; and he 
gave him to wife Asenath, the daughter of Potiphera 
priest of On. And Joseph went out over the land of 
Egypt. 

Joseph was thirty years old when he stood before Pha¬ 
raoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the 
presence of Pharaoh, and went throughout all the land 
of Egypt. In the seven plenteous years the earth 
brought forth by handfuls. And he gathered up all the 
food of the seven years which were in the land of Egypt, 
and laid up the food in the cities: the food of the field, 
which was round about every city, laid he up in the 
same. He laid up grain as the sand of the sea, very much, 
until he left off numbering; for it was without number. 

And unto Joseph was born two sons before the year 
of famine came, whom Asenath, the daughter of Poti¬ 
phera priest of On, bare unto him. He called the name 
of the first-born Manasseh: For said he, God hath made 
me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house. And the 
name of the second called he Ephraim; For God hath 
made me fruitful in the land of my affliction. And the 
seven years of plenty, that was in the land of Egypt, came 
to an end. And the seven years of famine began to 
come, according as Joseph had said: and there was 
famine in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there 
was bread. And when all the land of Egypt was fam¬ 
ished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pha¬ 
raoh said unto all the Egyptians, “Go unto Joseph; what 
he saith to you, do.” And the famine was over all the 


JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN 


307 


face of the earth: and Joseph opened all the store-houses, 
and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine was sore 
in the land of Egypt. And all countries came into Egypt 
to Joseph to buy grain; because the famine was sore in 
all the earth. 

Now Jacob saw that there was grain in Egypt, and 
Jacob said unto his sons, “Why do ye look one upon 
another? Behold, I have heard that there is grain in 
Egypt; get you down thither, and buy for us from thence; 
that we may live, and not die.” And Joseph’s ten breth¬ 
ren went down to buy grain from Egypt. 

But Benjamin, Joseph’s brother, Jacob sent not with 
his brethren; for he said, “Lest peradventure harm befall 
him.” And the sons of Israel came to buy among those 
that came; for the famine was in the land of Canaan. 
And Joseph was the governor over the land; he it was 
that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph’s breth¬ 
ren came, and bowed down themselves to him with their 
faces to the earth. Joseph saw his brethren, and he 
knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and 
spake roughly with them; and he said unto them, 
“Wlience come ye?” And they said, “From the land 
of Canaan to buy food. ’ ’ Joseph knew his brethren, but 
they knew not him. And Joseph remembered the dreams 
which he dreamed of them, and said unto them, “Ye are 
spies; to see the nakedness of the land ye are come. ’ ’ 

They said unto him, “Nay, my lord, but to buy food are 
thy servants come. We are all one man’s sons; we are 
true men, thy servants are no spies.” And he said unto 
them, “Nay, but to see the nakedness of the land ye are 
come.” And they said, “W r e thy servants are twelve 
brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, 
behold, the youngest is this day with our father, and one 
is not.” And Joseph said unto them, “That is it that I 
spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies: hereby ye shall be 
proved: by the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go forth hence, 
except your youngest brother come hither. Send one of 
you, and let him fetch your brother, and ye shall be 
bound, that your words may be proved, whether there be 
truth in you: or else by the life of Pharaoh surely ye are 


308 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


spies.” And lie put them all together into ward three 
days. 

And Joseph said unto them the third day, ‘ 4 This do, 
and live; for I fear God: if ye be true men, let one of your 
brethren be bound in your prison-house; but go ye, carry 
grain for the famine of your houses: and bring your 
youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be veri¬ 
fied, and ye shall not die.” And they did so. And they 
said to one another. “We are verily guilty concerning 
our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when 
he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this 
distress come upon us.” 

Reuben answered them, saying, “ Spake I not unto you, 
saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not 
hear? therefore, also, behold, his blood is required.” 

They knew not that Joseph understood them; for there 
was an interpreter between them. And he turned him¬ 
self about from them, and wept; and he returned to them, 
and spake to them, and took Simeon from among them, 
and bound him before their eyes. Then Joseph com¬ 
manded to fill their vessels with grain, and to restore 
every man’s money into his sack, and to give them provi¬ 
sion for the way; and thus was it done unto them. 

And they laded their asses with their grain, and de¬ 
parted thence. And as one of them opened his sack to 
give his ass provender in the lodging-place, he espied his 
money; and, behold, it was in the mouth of his sack. And 
he said unto his brethren, “My money is restored; and, lo, 
it is even in my sack:” and their heart failed them, and 
they turned trembling one to another, saying, “What is 
this that God hath done unto us?” They came unto Jacob 
their father unto the land of Canaan, and told him all 
that had befallen them; saying, “The man, the lord of 
the land, spake roughly with us, and took us for spies of 
the country.” And we said unto him, “We are true 
men; we are no spies: we are twelve brethren, sons of our 
father; one is not, and the youngest is this day with our 
father in the land of Canaan. And the man, the lord of 
the land, said unto us, ‘ Hereby shall I know that ye are 
true men: leave one of your brethren with me, and take 


JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN 


309 


grain for the famine of your houses, and go your way; 
and bring your youngest brother unto me: then shall I 
know that ye are no spies, but that ye are true men: so 
will I deliver you your brother, and ye shall traffic in the 
land.’ ” 

And it came to pass as they emptied their sacks, that, 
behold, every man’s bundle of money was in his sack: and 
when they and their father saw their bundles of money, 
they were afraid. 

Jacob their father said unto them, “Me have ye 
bereaved of my children: Joseph is not, and Simeon is 
not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are 
against me.” 

Reuben spake unto his father, saying, “Slay my two 
sons, if I bring him not to thee: deliver him into my 
hand, and I will bring him to thee again.” And he said, 
‘ ‘ My son shall not go down with you; for his brother is 
dead, and he only is left: if harm befall him by the way in 
which ye go, then will ye bring down my gray hairs with 
sorrow to the grave.” 

And the famine was sore in the land. And when they 
had eaten up the grain which they had brought out of 
Egypt, their father said unto them, Go again, buy us a 
little food. 

Judah spake unto him, saying, “The man did solemnly 
protest unto us, saying, ‘Ye shall not see my face, except 
your brother be with you. ’ If thou wilt send our brother 
with us, we will go down and buy thee food: but if thou 
wilt not send him, we will not go down; for the man said 
unto us, Ye shall not see my face, except your brother be 
with you.” And Israel said, “Wherefore dealt ye so ill 
with me, as to tell the man whether ye had yet a 
brother?” And they said, “The man asked straitlv con¬ 
cerning ourselves, and concerning our kindred, saying, 
Ms your father yet alive? have ye another brother? and 
we told him according to the tenor of these words: could 
we in any wise know that he would say, Bring your 
brother down?” And Judah said unto Israel his father. 
‘‘ Send the lad with me, and we will arise and go; that we 
may live and not die, both we, and thou, and also our 


310 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


little ones. I will be surety for him; of my hand shalt 
thou require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set 
him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever: for 
except we had lingered, surely we had now returned a 
second time.’ ’ 

And their father Israel said unto them, “If it be so 
now, do this: take of the choice fruits of the land in your 
vessels, and carry down the man a present, a little balm, 
and a little honey, spicery and myrrh, nuts, and almonds; 
and take double money in your hand; and the money that 
was returned in the mouth of your sacks carry again in 
your hand; peradventure it was an oversight; take also 
your brother, and arise, go again unto the man: and God 
Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may 
release unto you your other brother and Benjamin. And 
if I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.” And 
the men took that present, and they took double money 
in their hand, and Benjamin; and rose up, and went down 
to Egypt, and stood before Joseph. 

And when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to 
the steward of his house, “Bring the men into the house, 
and slay and make ready; for the men shall dine with 
me at noon. ’ 9 And the man did as Joseph bade; and the 
man brought the men to Joseph’s house. And the men 
were afraid, because they were brought to Joseph’s 
house; and they said, “Because of the money that was 
returned in our sacks at the first time are we brought in; 
that he may seek occasion against us, and fall upon us, 
and take us for bondmen, and our asses.” 

They came near the steward of Joseph’s house, and 
they spake unto him at the door of the house, and said, 
“Oh, my lord, we came indeed down at the first time to 
buy food: and it came to pass, when we came to the lodg¬ 
ing-place, that we opened our sacks, and, behold, every 
man’s money was in the mouth of his sack, our money 
in full weight: and we have brought it again in our hand. 

“Other money have we brought down in our hand to 
buy food: we know not who put our money in our sacks. ’ ’ 
And he said, “Peace be to you, fear not: your God, and 
the God of your father, hath given you treasure in your 


JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN 


311 


sacks: I had your money.” And he brought Simeon 
out unto them. And the man brought the men into 
Joseph’s house, and gave them water, and they washed 
their feet; and he gave their asses provender. And they 
made ready the present against Joseph’s coming at noon: 
for they heard that they should eat bread there. 

And when Joseph came home, they brought him the 
present which was in their hand into the house, and 
bowed down themselves to him to the earth. And he 
asked them of their welfare, and said, “Is your father 
well, the old man of whom ye spake f Is he yet alive f ’ ’ 

And they said, ‘ ‘ Thy servant our father is well, he is yet 
alive.” And they bowed the head, and made obeisance. 
And he lifted up his eyes, and saw Benjamin his brother, 
his mother’s son, and said, “Is this your youngest 
brother, of whom ye spake unto me!” And he said, 

1 ‘ God be gracious unto thee, my son. ’ ’ And Joseph made 
haste: for his heart yearned over his brother: and he 
sought where to weep; and he entered into his chamber, 
and wept there. And he washed his face, and came out; 
and he refrained himself, and said, ‘ ‘ Set on bread. ’ ’ And 
they set on for him by himself, and for them by them¬ 
selves, and for the Egyptians, that did eat with him, by 
themselves: because the Egyptians might not eat bread 
with the Hebrews; for that is an abomination unto the 
Egyptians. And they sat before him, the first-born ac¬ 
cording to his birthright, and the youngest according to 
his youth: and the men marvelled one with another. And 
he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but 
Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of theirs. 
And they drank, and were merry with him. 

And he commanded the steward of his house, saying, 
“Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can 
carry, and put every man’s money in his sack’s mouth. 
And put my cup, the silver cup, in the sack’s mouth of the 
youngest, and his grain money.” And he did according 
to the word that Joseph had spoken. 

As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent 
away, they and their asses. And when they were gone 
out of the city, and were not yet far off, Joseph said unto 

Vol. 1—19 


312 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


his steward, 4 'Up, follow after the roen; and when thou 
dost overtake them, say unto them, * Wherefore have ye 
rewarded evil for good? Is not this that in which my 
lord drinketh, and whereby he indeed divineth? ye have 
done evil in so doing.’ ” And he overtook them, and he 
spake unto them these words. 

They said unto him, “Wherefore speaketh my lord such 
words as these? Far be it from thy servants that they 
should do such a thing. Behold, the money, which we 
found in our sacks’ mouths, we brought again unto thee 
out of the land of Canaan: how then should we steal out 
of thy lord’s house silver or gold? With whomsoever of 
thy servants it be found, let him die, and we also will be 
my lord’s bondmen.” And he said, “Now also let it be 
according unto your words: he with whom it is found 
shall be my bondman: and ye shall be blameless.” Then 
they hasted, and took down every man his sack to the 
ground, and opened every man bis sack. And he searched, 
and began at the eldest, and left off at the youngest: and 
the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. Then they rent 
their clothes, and laded every man his ass, and returned 
to the city. 

And Judah and his brethren came to Joseph’s house; 
and he was yet there: and they fell before him on the 
ground. And Joseph said unto them, “What deed is this 
that ye have done ? know ye not that such a man as I can 
indeed divine?” And Judah said, “What shall we say 
unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we 
clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy 
servants: behold, we are my lord’s bondmen, both we, 
and he also in whose hand the cup is found.” And he 
said, “Far be it from me that I should do so: the man in 
whose hand the cup is found, he shall be my bondman; 
but as for you, get you up in peace unto your father.” 

Then Judah came near unto him, and said, “Oh, my 
lord, let thy servant, I pray thee, speak a word in my 
lord’s ears, and let not thine anger burn against thy 
servant; for thou art even as Pharaoh. My lord asked 
his servants, saying, ‘Have ye a father, or a brother?’ 
And we said unto my lord, We have a father, an old man, 


JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN 


313 


and a child of his old age, a little one; and his brother 
is dead, and he alone is left of his mother; and his father 
loveth him. And thou saidst unto thy servants, ‘ Bring 
him down unto me, that I may set mine eyes upon him/ 
And we said unto my lord, 4 The lad cannot leave his 
father: for if he should leave his father, his father would 
die/ And thou saidst unto thy servants, ‘ Except your 
youngest brother come down with you, ye shall see my 
face no more/ And when we came up unto thy servant 
my father, we told him the words of my lord. And our 
father said, ‘Go again, buy us a little food/ And we 
said, ‘We cannot go down: if our youngest brother be 
with us, when will we go down: for we may not see the 
man’s face, except our youngest brother be with us/ 
And thy servant my father said unto us, ‘Ye know that 
my wife bare me two sons: and the one went out from 
me, and I said, ‘Surely he is torn in pieces; and I have 
not seen him since: and if ye take this one also from me, 
and harm befall him, ye shall bring down my gray hairs 
with sorrow to the grave/ 

“Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father, 
and the lad is not with us; seeing that his life is bound 
up in the lad’s life; when he seeth that the lad is not 
with us, he will die: and thy servants will bring down the 
gray hairs of thy servant our father with sorrow to the 
grave. For thy servant became surety for the lad unto 
my father, saying, ‘If I bring him not unto thee, then 
shall I bear the blame to my father for ever.’ Now 
therefore, let thy servant, I pray thee, abide instead of 
the lad a bondman to my lord; and let the lad go up 
with his brethren. For how shall I go up to my father, 
if the lad be not with me? lest I see the evil that shall 
come on my father.” 

Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them 
that stood by him; and he cried, “Cause every man to go 
out from me. ’ ’ And there stood no man with him, while 
Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. And he 
wept aloud: and the Egyptians heard, and the house of 
Pharaoh heard. 

And Joseph said unto his brethren, “I am Joseph; 


314 STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 

doth' my father yet live?” And his brethren could not 
answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. And 
Joseph said unto his brethren, 4 'Come near to me, I pray 
you.’’ And they came near. And he said, ‘ ‘ I am Joseph 
your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. And now be not 
grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me 
hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. 
For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and 
there are yet five years, in which there shall be neither 
plowing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to 
preserve you a remnant in the earth, and to save you 
alive by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that 
sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father 
to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and ruler over all 
the land of Egypt. Haste ye, and go up to my father, 
and say unto him, ‘Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath 
made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry 
not; and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou 
shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy 
children’s children, and thy flocks, and thy herds and all 
that thou hast: and there will I nourish thee; for there 
are yet five years of famine; lest thou come to poverty, 
thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast.’ And, 
behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Ben¬ 
jamin, that is in my mouth that speakest unto you. And 
ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of 
all that ye have seen: and ye shall haste and bring down 
my father hither.” 

And he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck, and 
wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. And he kissed 
all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his 
brethren talked with him. 

And the report thereof was heard in Pharaoh’s house, 
saying, “Joseph’s brethren are come: and it pleased Pha¬ 
raoh well, and his servants.” And Pharaoh said unto 
Joseph, “Say unto thy brethren, ‘This do ye: lade your 
beasts, and go, get you unto the land of Canaan; and 
take your father and your households, and come unto 
me: and I will give you the good of the land of Egypt, 
and ye shall eat the fat of the land.’ Now thou art 


JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN 


315 


commanded, this do ye: take you wagons out of the land 
of Egypt for your little ones, and for your wives, and 
bring your father, and come. Also regard not your stuff; 
for the good of all the land of Egypt is yours.’’ 

And the sons of Israel did so: and Joseph gave them 
wagons, according to the commandment of Pharaoh, and 
gave them provision for the way. To all of them he 
gave each man change of raiment; but to Benjamin he 
gave three hundred pieces of silver, and five changes of 
raiment. And to his father he sent after this manner: 
ten asses laden with the good things of Egypt, and ten 
she-asses laden with grain and bread and provision for 
his father by the way. So he sent his brethren away, 
and they departed: and he said unto them, ‘ ‘ See that ye 
fall not out by the way.” And they went up out of 
Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their 
father. And they told him, saying, “Joseph is yet alive, 
and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt.” And his 
heart fainted, for he believed them not. And they told 
him all the words of Joseph, which he had said unto them: 
and when he saw the wagons which Joseph had sent to 
carry him, the spirit of Jacob their father revived: and 
Israel said, “It is enough; Joseph my son is yet alive: 
I will go and see him before I die.” 

And Israel took his journey with all that he had, and 
came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices unto the God 
of his father Isaac. And God spake unto Israel in the 
visions of the night, and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he 
said, “Here am I.” And he said, “I am God, the God 
of thy father: fear not to go down into Egypt; for I will 
there make of thee a great nation: I will go down with 
thee into Egypt; and I will also surely bring thee up 
again: and Joseph shall put his hand upon thine eyes.” 
And Jacob rose up from Beer-sheba: and the sons of 
Israel carried Jacob their father, and their little ones, 
and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent 
to carry him. And they took their cattle, and their goods, 
which they had gotten in the land of Canaan, and came 
into Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him: his sons, 
and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ 


316 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


daughters, and all his seed brought he with him into 
Egypt: all the souls of the house of Jacob, that came into 
Egypt, were threescore and ten. 

And he sent Judah before him unto Joseph, to show the 
way before him unto Goshen; and they came into the 
land of Goshen. And Joseph made ready his chariot, and 
went up to meet Israel his father, to Goshen; and he 
presented himself unto him, and fell on his neck, and 
wept on his neck a good while. And Israel said unto 
Joseph, “Now let me die, since I have seen thy face, that 
thou art yet alive.” 

Joseph said unto his brethren, and unto his father’s 
house, “I will go up, and tell Pharaoh, and will say unto 
him, ‘My brethren, and my father’s house, who were in 
the land of Canaan are come unto me; and the men are 
shepherds, for they have been keepers of cattle; and 
they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all 
that they have.’ And it shall come to pass, when Pha¬ 
raoh shall call you, and shall say, ‘What is your occu¬ 
pation?’ that ye shall say, ‘Thy servants have been keep¬ 
ers of cattle from our youth even until now, both we, and 
our fathers: that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen; 
for every shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyp¬ 
tians.’ ” 

Then Joseph went in and told Pharaoh, and said, “My 
father and my brethren, and their flocks, and their herds, 
and all that they have, are come out of the land of Ca¬ 
naan ; and, behold, they are in the land of Goshen.” And 
from among his brethren he took five men, and presented 
them unto Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto his breth¬ 
ren, “What is your occupation?” And they said unto 
Pharaoh, “Thy servants are shepherds, both we, and our 
fathers. To sojourn in the land are we come; for there 
is no pasture for thy servants’ flocks; for the famine is 
sore in the land of Canaan: now therefore, we pray thee, 
let thy servants dwell in the land of Goshen.” 

Pharaoh spake unto Joseph, saying, “Thy father and 
thy brethren are come unto thee: the land of Egypt is 
before thee; in the best of the land make thy father and 
thy brethren to dwell; in the land of Goshen let them 


JOSEPH AND HIS BRETHREN 


317 


dwell: and if thou knowest any able men among them, 
then make them rulers over my cattle.” And Joseph 
brought in Jacob his father, and set him before Pharaoh; 
and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. And Pharaoh said unto 
Jacob, “ How many are the days of the years of thy life?” 
And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, “The days of the years 
of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty years: few 
and evil have been the days of the years of my life, and 
they have not attained unto the days of the years of the 
life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.” And 
Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence 
of Pharaoh. And Joseph placed his father and his breth¬ 
ren, and gave them a possession in the land of Egypt, in 
the best of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh 
had commanded. And Joseph nourished his father, and 
his brethren, and all his father ’s household, with bread, 
according to their families. 

And there was no bread in all the land; for the famine 
was very sore, so that the land of Egypt and the land of 
Canaan fainted by reason of the famine. And Joseph 
gathered up all the money that was found in the land of 
Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, for the grain which 
they brought: and Joseph brought the money into Pha¬ 
raoh’s house. And when the money was all spent in the 
land of Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, all the Egyp¬ 
tians came unto Joseph, and said, “Give us bread: for 
why should we die in thy presence? for our money fail- 
eth.” And Joseph said, “Give your cattle; and I will 
give you for your cattle, if money fail.” And they 
brought their cattle unto Joseph; and Joseph gave them 
bread in exchange for the horses, and for the flocks, 
and for the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with 
bread in exchange for all their cattle for that year. 

And when that year was ended, they came unto him 
the second year, and said unto him, “We will not hide 
from my lord, how that our money is all spent; and the 
herds of cattle are my lord’s; there is nought left in the 
sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands: where¬ 
fore should we die before thine eyes, both we and our 
land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land 


318 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that 
we may live, and not die, and that the land be not deso¬ 
lated J 

So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; 
for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the 
famine was sore upon them: and the land became Pha¬ 
raoh’s. And as for the people, he removed them to the 
cities from one end of the border of Egypt even to the 
other end thereof. 

Only the land of the priests bought he not: for the 
priests had a portion from Pharaoh, and did eat their 
portion which Pharaoh gave them; wherefore they sold 
not their land. Then Joseph said unto the people, 4 4 Be¬ 
hold, I have bought you this day and your land for Pha¬ 
raoh : lo, here is seed for you, and ye shall sow the land. 
And it shall come to pass at the ingatherings, that ye shall 
give a fifth to Pharaoh, and four parts shall be your 
own, for seed of the field, and for your food, and for them 
of your households, and for food for your little ones.” 
And they said, “Thou hast saved our lives: let us find 
favor in the sight of my lord, and we will be Pharaoh’s 
servants.” And Joseph made it a statute concerning 
the land of Egypt unto this day, that Pharaoh should 
have the fifth; only the land of the priests alone became 
not Pharaoh’s. 

And Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the land of 
Goshen; and they gat them possessions therein, and were 
fruitful, and multiplied exceedingly. And Jacob lived 
in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the days of 
Jacob, the years of his life, were a hundred forty and 
seven years. And the time drew near that Israel must 
die: and he called his son Joseph, and said unto him, “If 
now I have found favor in thy sight, deal kindly and truly 
with me: bury me not, I pray thee, in Egypt; but when 
I sleep with my fathers, thou shalt carry me out of Egypt, 
and bury me in their burying-place.” And he said, “I 
will do as thou hast said.” And he said, “Swear unto 
me,” and he sware unto him. And Israel bowed himself 
upon the bed’s head. 


THE BABY MOSES 


319 


THE BABY MOSES. 

[from exodus, chap. 1.] 

N OW there arose a new king over Egypt, who knew 
not Joseph. And he said unto his people, “ Be¬ 
hold, the people of the children of Israel are more 
and mightier than we: come, let us deal wisely with them; 
lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there 
falleth out any war, they also join themselves unto our 
enemies, and fight against us, and get them up out of the 
land.” 

Therefore they did set over them taskmasters to afflict 
them with their burdens. But the more they afflicted 
them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread 
abroad. And they were grieved because of the children 
of Israel. And the Egyptians made the children of Israel 
to serve with rigor: and they made their lives bitter with 
hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in all manner 
of service in the field, all their service, wherein they made 
them serve with rigor. 

And Pharaoh charged all his people, saying, “ Every 
son that is horn ye shall cast into the river, and every 
daughter ye shall save alive.” 

There went a man of the house of Levi, and took to 
wife a daughter of Levi. And they had a son: and when 
she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three 
months. And when she could not longer hide him, she 
took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with 
slime and with pitch; and she put the child therein, and 
laid it in the flags by the river’s brink. And his sister 
stood afar off, to know what would be done to him. 
And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the 
river; and her maidens walked along by the river-side; 
and she saw the ark among the flags, and sent her hand¬ 
maid to fetch it. And she opened it, and saw the child: 
and, behold, the babe wept. 

She had compassion on him, and said, “This is one of 
the Hebrews’ children.” Then said his sister to Pha- 


320 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


raoh’s daughter , 4 4 Shall I go and call thee a nurse of the 
Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?” 
And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her “Go.” And the 
maiden went and called the child’s mother. And Pha¬ 
raoh’s daughter said unto her, “Take this child away, 
and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages.” 
And the woman took the child, and nursed it. And the 
child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh’s daugh¬ 
ter, and he became her son. And she called his name 
Moses, and said, “Because I drew him out of the water.” 


THE FALL OF JERICHO. 


[FROM JOSHUA, CHAP. 6.] 


HEN Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes 



and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over 


against him with his sword drawn in his hand; 


and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, “Art thou 
for us, or for our adversaries?” And he said, “Nay; 
but as prince of the host of Jehovah am I now come.” 

And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did wor¬ 
ship, and said unto him, “What saith my lord unto his 
servant?” And the prince of Jehovah’s host said unto 
Joshua, “Put off thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place 
whereon thou standest is holy.” And Joshua did so. 

Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the chil¬ 
dren of Israel; none went out, and none came in. And 
Jehovah said unto Joshua, “See, I have given into thy 
hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men 
of valor. And ye shall compass the city, all the men of 
war, going about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six 
days. And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of 
rams’ horns before the ark: and the seventh day ye shall 
compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow 
the trumpets. And it shall be, that, when they make a 
long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the 
sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a 
great shout: and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, 


THE FALL OF JERICHO 


321 


and the people shall go up every man straight before 
him. 

Joshua the son of Nun called the priests, and said unto 
them, “Take up the ark of the covenant, and let seven 
priests bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the 
ark of Jehovah.” And they said unto the people, “Pass 
on, and compass the city, and let the armed men pass 
on before the ark of Jehovah.” 

And when Joshua had spoken unto the people, the 
seven priests bearing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns 
before Jehovah passed on, and blew the trumpets: and 
the ark of the covenant of Jehovah followed them. And 
the armed men went before the priests that blew the trum¬ 
pets, and the rearward went after the ark, the priests 
blowing the trumpets as they went. 

And Joshua commanded the people, saying, “Ye shall 
not shout, nor let your voice be heard, neither shall any 
word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you 
shout; then shall ye shout.” So he caused the ark of 
Jehovah to compass the city, going about it once: and 
they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp. 

And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests 
took up the ark of Jehovah. And the seven priests bear¬ 
ing the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of 
Jehovah went on continually, and blew the trumpets: and 
the armed men went before them; and the rearward came 
after the ark of Jehovah, the priests blowing the trumpets 
as they went. And the second day they compassed the 
city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six 
days. 

And on the seventh day they rose early at the dawning 
of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner 
seven times: only on that day they compassed the city 
seven times. And it came to pass at the seventh time, 
when the priests blew the trumpets, Joshua said unto the 
people, “Shout; for Jehovah hath given you the city. 
. . .” So the people shouted, and the priests blew the 

trumpets: and when the people heard the sound of the 
trumpet, the people shouted with a great shout, and 
the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into 


322 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


the city, every man straight before him, and they took the 
city. And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, 
both man and woman, both young and old, and ox, and 
sheep, and ass with the edge of the sword. 


GIDEON AND THE MIDIANITES. 

[from judges, chap. 6 - 7 .] 

T HE children of Israel did that which was evil in the 
sight of Jehovah: and Jehovah delivered them into 
the hand of Midian seven years. And the hand of 
Midian prevailed against Israel; and because of Midian 
the children of Israel made them the dens which are in the 
mountains, and the caves, and the strongholds. And when 
Israel had sown, the Midianites came up, and the Amale- 
kites, and the children of the east; they came up against 
them; and they encamped against them, and destroyed 
the increase of the earth, and left no sustenance in Israel, 
neither sheep, nor ox, nor ass. For they came up with 
their cattle and their tents; they came in as locusts for 
the multitude; both they and their camels were without 
number: and they came into the land to destroy it. And 
Israel was brought very low because of Midian; and the 
children of Israel cried unto Jehovah. . . . 

And the angel of Jehovah came, and sat under the oak 
that pertained unto Joash: and his son Gideon was beat¬ 
ing out wheat in the wine-press, to hide it from the Mid¬ 
ianites. 

And the angel of Jehovah appeared unto him, and said 
unto him, “Jehovah is with thee, thou mighty man of 
valor.’’ And Gideon said unto him, “Oh, my lord, if 
Jehovah is with us, why then is all this befallen us? and 
where are all his wondrous works which our fathers told 
us of, saying, Did not Jehovah bring us up from Egypt? 
but now Jehovah hath cast us off, and delivered us into 
the hand of Midian.” And Jehovah looked upon him, 
and said, “Go in this thy might, and save Israel from 
the hand of Midian: have not I sent thee ? 99 And he said 


GIDEON AND THE MIDIANITES 


323 


unto him, “Ok, Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? be¬ 
hold, my family is the poorest in Manasseh, and I am the 
least in my father’s house.” And Jehovah said unto 
him, “Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the 
Midianites as one man.” And he said unto him, “If 
now I have found favor in thy sight, then show me a 
sign that it is thou that talkest with me. Depart not 
lienee, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth 
my present, and lay it before thee.” And he said, “I 
will tarry until thou come again.” 

And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and un¬ 
leavened cakes: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put 
the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the 
oak, and presented it. And the angel of God said unto 
him, “Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay 
them upon this rock, and pour out the broth.” And he 
did so. Then the angel of Jehovah put forth the end of 
the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and 
the unleavened cakes; and there went up fire out of the 
rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes; 
and the angel of Jehovah departed out of his sight. 

Gideon saw that he was the angel of Jehovah; and 
Gideon said, “Alas, 0 Lord Jehovah! forasmuch as I 
have seen the angel of Jehovah face to face.” And Je¬ 
hovah said unto him, ‘ ‘ Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou 
shalt not die.” Then Gideon built an altar there unto 
Jehovah. 

And the same night, Jehovah said unto him, “Take thy 
father’s bullock, even the second bullock seven years old, 
and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, 
and cut down the Asherah that is by it; and build an 
altar unto Jehovah thy God upon the top of this strong¬ 
hold, in the orderly manner, and take the second bullock, 
and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah 
which thou shalt cut down. ’’ Then Gideon took ten men 
of his servants, and did as Jehovah had spoken unto 
him: and because he feared his father’s household and 
the men of the city, so that he could not do it by day, he 
did it by night. 

And when the men of the city arose early in the morn- 


324 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


ing, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherak 
was cut down that was by it, and the second bullock was 
offered upon the altar that was built. 

And they said one to another, 4 ‘Who hath done this 
thing?” And when they inquired and asked, they said, 
“Gideon the son of Joash hath done this thing.’ 7 

Then the men of the city said unto Joash, “Bring out 
thy son, that he may die, because he hath broken down 
the altar of Baal, and because he hath cut down the 
Asherah that was by it.” And Joash said unto all that 
stood against him, “Will ye contend for Baal? or will 
ye save him 1 he that will contend for him, let him be put 
to death whilst it is yet morning: if he be a god, let him 
contend for himself, because one hath broken down his 
altar.” Therefore on that day he called him Jerubbaal, 
saying, “Let Baal contend against him, because he hath 
broken down his altar.” 

Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the 
children of the east assembled themselves together; and 
they passed over, and encamped in the valley of Jezreel. 
But the Spirit of Jehovah came upon Gideon; and he blew 
a trumpet; and Abiezer was gathered together after him. 
And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; and 
they also were gathered together after him: and he sent 
messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto 
Naphtali; and they came up to meet them. 

And Gideon said unto God, “If thou wilt save Israel 
by my hand, as thou hast spoken, behold, I will put a 
fleece of wool on the threshing-floor; if there be dew on 
the fleece only, and it be dry upon all the ground, then 
shall I know that thou wilt save Israel by my hand, as 
thou hast spoken.” And it was so; for he rose up early 
on the morrow, and pressed the fleece together, and 
wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water. 
And Gideon said unto God, “Let not thine anger be kin¬ 
dled against me, and I will speak but this once; let me 
make trial, I pray thee, but this once with the fleece; let 
it now be dry only upon the fleece, and upon all the ground 
let there be dew.” And God did so that night: for it was 


GIDEON AND THE MIDIANITES 


325 


dry upon the fleece only, and there was dew on all the 
ground. 

Then Jerubbaal, who is Gideon, and all the people that 
were with him, rose up early, and encamped beside the 
spring of Harod: and the camp of Midian was on the 
north side of them, by the hill of Moreh, in the valley. 

And Jehovah said unto Gideon, “The people that are 
with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites 
into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, 
saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. Now therefore 
proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever 
is fearful and trembling, let him return and depart from 
mount Gilead. ’’ And there returned of the people twenty 
and two thousand; and there remained ten thousand. 

And Jehovah said unto Gideon, “The people are yet 
too many; bring them down unto the water; and I will 
try them for thee there: and it shall be, that of whom I 
say unto thee, ‘‘ This shall go with thee, the same shall go 
with thee; and of whomsoever I say unto thee, This shall 
not go with thee, the same shall not go.” 

So he brought down the people unto the water: and 
Jehovah said unto Gideon, “Every one that lappeth of 
the water with his tongue, as a dog lappeth, him shalt 
thou set by himself; likewise every one that boweth down 
upon his knees to drink.” And the number of them that 
lapped, putting their hand to their mouth, was three hun¬ 
dred men: but all the rest of the people bowed down upon 
their knees to drink water. And Jehovah said unto 
Gideon, “By the three hundred men that lapped will I 
save you, and deliver the Midianites into thy hand; and 
]et all the people go eveiy man unto his place.” So the 
people took victuals in their hand, and their trumpets; 
and he sent all the men of Israel every man unto his tent, 
but retained the three hundred men: and the camp of 
Midian was beneath him in the valley. 

And the same night Jehovah said unto him, “Arise, 
get thee down into the camp; for I have delivered it into 
thy hand. 

But if thou fear to go down, go thou with Purah thy 
servant down to the camp: and thou shalt hear what 


32 # STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 

they say; and afterward shall thy hands be strengthened 
to go down into the camp. 

Then went he down with Purah his servant unto the 
outermost part of the armed men that were in the camp. 
And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the chil¬ 
dren of the east lay along in the valley like locusts for 
multitude; and their camels were without number, as the 
sand which is upon the sea-shore for multitude. 

And when Gideon was come, behold, there was a man 
telling a dream unto his fellow; and he said, “Behold, I 
dreamed a dream; and, lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled 
into the camp of Midian, and came unto the tent, and 
smote it so that it fell, and turned it upside own, so that 
the tent lay flat. ,, And his fellow answered and said, 
“This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son 
of Joash, a man of Israel: into his hand God hath deliv¬ 
ered Midian, and all the host.” 

And when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, 
and the interpretation thereof, he worshipped; and he 
returned into the camp of Israel, and said, “Arise; for 
Jehovah hath delivered into your hand the host of Mid¬ 
ian. ’ 9 And he divided the three hundred men into three 
companies, and he put into the hands of all of them 
trumpets, and empty pitchers, with torches within the 
pitchers. And he said unto them, “Look on me, and do 
likewise: and, behold, when I come to the outermost part 
of the camp, it shall be that, as I do, so shall ye do. 
When I blow the trumpet, I and all that are with me, 
then blow ye the trumpets also on every side of all the 
camp, and say, ‘For Jehovah and for Gideon.’ ” 

So Gideon, and the hundred men that were with him, 
came unto the outermost part of the camp in the begin¬ 
ning of the middle watch, when they had but newly set 
the watch: and they blew the trumpets, and brake in 
pieces the pitchers that were in their hands. And the 
three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitch¬ 
ers, and held the torches in their left hands, and the 
trumpets in their right hands wherewith to blow: and 
they cried, “The sword of Jehovah and of Gideon.” 
And they stood every man in his place round about 


RUTH AND BOAZ 


327 


the camp; and all the host ran; and they shouted and 
put them to flight. And they blew the three hundred 
trumpets, and Jehovah set every man’s sword against his 
fellow, and against all the host; and the host fled, and the 
men of Israel pursued after Midian. . . . and slew 

the two princes, Oreb and Zeeb. 


RUTH AND BOAZ. 

[from the book of ruth.] 

I N the days when the judges judged, there was a fam¬ 
ine in the land. And a certain man of Beth-lehem- 
judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, 
and his wife, and his two sons. And the name of the 
man was Elimelech, and the name of his wife Naomi. 
And Elimelech Naomi’s husband died; and she was left, 
and her two sons. And they took them wives of the 
women of Moab; the name of the one was Orpah, and the 
name of the other was Ruth; and they dwelt there about 
ten years. And the two sons died both of them; and the 
woman was left of her two children and of her husband. 

Then she arose with her daughters-in-law, that she 
might return from the country of Moab: for she had 
heard in the country of Moab how that Jehovah had vis¬ 
ited his people in giving them bread. And she went forth 
out of the place where she was, and her two daughters-in- 
law with her; and they went on the way to return unto 
the land of Judah. 

And Naomi said unto her two daughters-in-law, “Go, 
return each of you to her mother’s house: Jehovah deal 
kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with 
me. Jehovah grant you that ye may find rest, each of 
you in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed 
them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. 

And they said unto her, “Nay, but we will return with 
thee unto thy people.” And Naomi said, “Turn again, 
my daughters: why will ye go with me! Turn again, my 
daughters, go your way; it grieveth me much for your 

Vol. I—20 


328 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


sakes, for the hand of Jehovah is gone forth against me.” 
And they lifted np their voice, and wept again: and 
Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; hut Ruth clave unto her. 

And she said, “Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back 
unto her people, and unto her god: return thou after thy 
sister-in-law.” And Ruth said, “Entreat me not to leave 
thee, and to return from following after thee; for whither 
thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; 
thy people shall he my people, and thy God my God; 
where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried*. 
Jehovah do so to me, and more also, if aught but death 
part thee and me.” And when she saw that she was 
steadfastly minded to go with her she left off speaking 
unto her. 

So they two went until they came to Beth-lehem. And 
when they were come to Beth-lehem, all the city was 
moved about them, and the women said, “ Is this 
Naomi?” 

And she said unto them, “Call me net Naomi, call me 
Mara; for the Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me. 
I went out full, and Jehovah hath brought me home again 
empty; why call ye me Naomi, seeing Jehovah hath testi¬ 
fied against me, and the Almighty hath afflicted me?” 

So Naomi returned, and Euth the Moabitess, her daugh¬ 
ter-in-law, with her, who returned out of the country of 
Moab: and they came to Beth-lehem in the beginning of 
barley harvest. 

And Naomi had a kinsman of her husband’s, a mighty 
man of wealth, of the family of Elimelech; and his name 
was Boaz. And Euth the Moabitess said unto Naomi, 
“Let me now go to the field, and glean among the ears 
of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor.” 

And she said unto her, “Go, my daughter.” 

And she went, and came and gleaned in the field after 
the reapers: and her hap was to light on the portion of 
the field belonging unto Boaz, who was of the family of 
Elimelech. 

And, behold, Boaz came from Beth-lehem, and said unto 
the reapers, “Jehovah be with you.” 

And they answered him, “Jehovah bless thee.” 


RUTH AND BOAZ 


329 


Then said Boaz unto his servant that was set over the 
reapers, “Whose damsel is this?” 

And the servant that was set over the reapers answered 
and said, “It is the Moabitish damsel that came back with 
Naomi out of the country of Moab: and she said, Let me 
glean, I pray you, and gather after the reapers among 
the sheaves: so she came, and hath continued even from 
the morning until now, save that she tarried a little in the 
house.” 

Then said Boaz unto Ruth, “Hearest thou not, my 
daughter f Go not to glean in another field, neither pass 
from hence, but abide here fast by my maidens. Let 
thine eyes be on the field that they do reap, and go thou 
after them: have I not charged the young men that they 
shall not touch thee? and when thou art athirst, go unto 
the vessels, and drink of that which the young men have 
drawn.” 

Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the 
ground, and said unto him, “Why have I found favor in 
thy sight, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, see¬ 
ing I am a foreigner?” 

And Boaz answered and said unto her, “It hath fully 
been showed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother- 
in-law since the death of thy husband; and how thou hast 
left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativ¬ 
ity, and art come unto a people that thou knewest not 
heretofore. Jehovah recompense thy work, and a full 
reward be given thee of Jehovah, the God of Israel, under 
whose wings thou art come to take refuge.” 

Then she said, “Let me find favor in thy sight, my 
lord; for that thou hast comforted me, and for that thou 
hast spoken kindly unto thy handmaid, though I be not as 
of thy handmaidens.” 

And at meal-time Boaz said unto her, “Oome hither, 
and eat of the bread, and dip thy morsel in the vinegar.” 
And she sat beside the reapers; and they reached her 
parched grain, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left 
thereof. 

And when she was risen up to glean, Boaz commanded 
his young men, saying, “Let her glean even among the 


330 STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 

sheaves, and reproach her not. And also pull out some 
for her from the bundles, and leave it, and let her glean, 
and rebuke her not.” 

So she gleaned in the field until even; and she beat out 
that which she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah 
of barley. And she took it up, and went into the city; 
and her mother-in-law saw what she had gleaned: and she 
brought forth and gave to her that which she had left 
after she was sufficed. 

And her mother-in-law said unto her, “ Where hast thou 
gleaned to-day? and where hast thou wrought? blessed 
be he that did take knowledge of thee.” 

And she showed her mother-in-law with whom she had 
wrought, and said, “The man’s name with whom I 
wrought to-day is Boaz.” 

And Naomi said unto her daughter-in-law, “Blessed be 
he of Jehovah, who hath not left off his kindness to the 
living and to the dead. The man is nigh of kin unto us, 
one of our near kinsmen . 9 9 And Ruth the Moabitess said, 
“Yea, he said unto me, Thou slialt keep fast by my young 
men, until they have ended all my harvest. ’ 9 

And Naomi said unto Ruth her daughter-in-law, “It 
is good, my daughter, that thou go out with his maidens, 
and that they meet thee not in any other field. ’ 9 So she 
kept fast by the maidens of Boaz, to glean unto the end 
of barley harvest and of wheat harvest; and she dwelt 
with her mother-in-law. 

And Naomi her mother-in-law said unto her, “My 
daughter, shall I not seek rest for thee, that it may be 
well with thee? And now is not Boaz our kinsman, with 
whose maidens thou wast? Behold, he winnoweth barley 
to-night in the threshing-floor. Go in, and he will tell 
tell thee what thou shalt do.” “And she said unto her, 
All that thou sayest I will do . 9 9 

And she went down unto the threshing-floor, and did 
according to all that her mother-in-law bade her. And 
Boaz said, “Blessed be thou of Jehovah, my daughter: 
thou hast showed more kindness in the latter end than at 
the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young 
men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, fear 


RUTH AND BOAZ 


331 


not; I will do to thee all that thou sayest; for all the city 
of my people doth know that thou art a worthy woman. 
And now it is true that I am a near kinsman; howbeit 
there is a kinsman nearer than I. If he will perform 
unto thee the part of a kinsman, well; let him do the kins¬ 
man’s part: but if he will not do the part of a kinsman 
to thee, then will I do the part of a kinsman to thee, as 
Jehovah liveth.” 

And he said, “ Bring the mantle that is upon thee, and 
hold it; ” and she held it; and he measured six measures 
of barley, and laid it on her: and he went into the city. 
And when she came to her mother-in-law, she said, “Who 
art thou, my daughter V 9 

And she told her all that the man had done to her. And 
she said, “These six measures of barley gave he me; for 
he said, Go not empty unto thy mother-in-law. ’ 9 

Then said she, ‘ 6 Sit still, my daughter, until thou know 
how the matter will fall; for the man will not rest, until he 
have finished the thing this day . 91 

Now Boaz went up to the gate, and sat him down there: 
and, behold, the near kinsman of whom Boaz spake came 
by; unto whom he said, “Ho, such a one! turn aside, and 
sit down here . 9 9 And he turned aside, and sat down. 

And he took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, 
i 1 Sit ye down here. ’ 9 And they sat down. And he said 
unto the near kinsman, “Naomi, that is come again out of 
the country of Moab, selleth the parcel of land, which was 
our brother Elimelech’s: and I thought to disclose it unto 
thee, saying, Buy it before them that sit here, and before 
the elders of my people. If thou wilt redeem it, redeem 
it: but if thou wilt not redeem it, then tell me, that I may 
know; for there is none to redeem it besides thee; and I 
am after thee.” 

And he said, “I will redeem it.” 

Then said “Boaz, What day thou buyest the field of 
the hand of Naomi, thou must buy it also of Ruth the 
Moabitess, the wife of the dead, to raise up the name of 
the dead upon his inheritance.” And the near kinsman 
said, 

“I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I mar mine own in- 


332 STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 

heritance: take thou my right of redemption on thee; for 
I cannot redeem it.*’ 

Now this was the custom in former time in Israel con¬ 
cerning redeeming and concerning exchanging, to confirm 
all things: a man drew off his shoe, and gave it to his 
neighbor; and this was the manner of attestation in 
Israel. 

So the near kinsman said unto Boaz, “Buy it for thy¬ 
self.” And he drew off his shoe. And Boaz said unto 
the elders, and unto all the people, “Ye are witnesses this 
day, that I have bought all that was Elimelech’s, and all 
that was Chilion’s and Mahlon’s, of the hand of Naomi. 
Moreover Ruth the Moabitess, the wife of Mahlon, have 
I purchased to be my wife, to raise up the name of the 
dead upon his inheritance, that the name of the dead be 
not cut off from among his brethren, and from the gate 
of his place: ye are witnesses this day.” And all the 
people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, 

“We are witnesses.” So Boaz took Ruth, and she 
became his wife. 


THE BOY SAMUEL. 

[FROM I SAMUEL, CHAP. 3 .] 

H ANNAH, the wife of Elkanah, who lived in the hill 
country of Ephraim, had no children, which 
grieved her much and she wept, and did not eat. 
And Elkanah her husband said to her, “Hannah, why 
weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy 
heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?” 

Now Eli the priest was sitting upon his seat by the 
door-post of the temple of Jehovah. And she was in bit¬ 
terness of soul, and prayed unto Jehovah, and wept sore. 
And she vowed a vow, and said, “0 Jehovah of hosts, 
if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thy handmaid, 
and remember me, and not forget thy handmaid, but wilt 
give unto thy handmaid a man-child, then I will give him 





THE INFANT SAMUEL 

FROM THE PAINTING BY SIR JOSHUA REYNOLDS 

Probably no painter in the world had a greater insight of the 
character of women and children than Sir Joshua Reynolds— 
the most famous English portraitist of the Eighteenth Century, 
and the founder of the Royal Academy of London. It was only 
natural, therefore, that he should choose for one of his subjects the 
best known child of Old Testament Story—the Infant Samuel. As he 
kneels, we hear him say:—“Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.” 



THE BOY SAMUEL 335 

unto Jehovah all the days of his life, and there shall no 
razor come upon his head.” 

And as she continued praying before Jehovah, Eli 
marked her mouth. Now Hannah spake in her heart; 
only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: there¬ 
fore Eli thought she had been drunken. And Eli said 
unto her, “How long wilt thou be drunken? put away thy 
wine from thee.” And Hannah answered and said, “No, 
my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have 
drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I poured out my 
soul before Jehovah. Count not thy handmaid for a 
wicked woman; for out of the abundance of my complaint 
and my provocation have I spoken hitherto.” Then Eli 
answered and said, “Go in peace; and the God of Israel 
grant thy petition that thou hast asked of him.’ ’ And she 
said, “Let thy handmaid find favor in thy sight” So 
the woman went her way, and did eat; and her counte¬ 
nance was no more sad. 

In the course of time Jehovah remembered her and 
answered her prayer. She had a son and she called his 
name Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked him of 
Jehovah.” 

And when she had weaned him, she brought the child 
to Eli. And she said, “Oh, my lord, as thy soul liveth, 
my lord, I am the woman that stood by thee here, praying 
unto Jehovah. For this child I prayed; and Jehovah hath 
given me my petition which I asked of him: therefore also 
I have granted him to Jehovah; as long as he liveth he is 
granted to Jehovah.” 

And Elkanah went to Kamah to his house. And Sam¬ 
uel did minister unto Jehovah before Eli the priest, being 
a child, girded with a linen ephod. Moreover his mother 
made him a little robe, and brought it to him from year 
to year, when she came up with her husband to offer the 
yearly sacrifice. And Eli blessed Elkanah and his wife. 
And the child Samuel grew before Jehovah, and increased 
in favor both with Jehovaha, and also with men. 

And the word of Jehovah was precious in those days; 
there was no frequent vision; at that time, when Eli was 
laid down in his place, (now his eyes had begun to wax 


336 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


dim, so that he could not see,) and the lamp of God 
was not yet gone out, and Samuel was laid down to sleep, 
in the temple of Jehovah, where the ark of God was; and 
Jehovah called Samuel: and he said, “Here am I.” And 
he ran unto Eli, and said, “Here am I; for thou calledst 
me . 7 7 And he said, ‘ ‘ I called not; lie down again . 7 7 And 
he went and lay down. 

And Jehovah called Samuel yet again. And Samuel 
arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here am I; for thou 
calledst me.” 

And he answered, “I called not, my son; lie down 
again.” Now Samuel did not yet know Jehovah, neither 
was the word of Jehovah yet revealed unto him. 

And Jehovah called Samuel again the third time. And 
he arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here am I; for thou 
calledst me. ’ ’ And Eli perceived that Jehovah had called 
the child. 

Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, “Go, lie down: and 
it shall he, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, “Speak, 
Jehovah; for thy servant heareth. ’ 7 So Samuel went and 
lay down in his place. 

And Jehovah came and stood, and called as at other 
times, “Samuel, Samuel.” Then Samuel said, 
“Speak; for thy servant heareth.” And Jehovah said 
to Samuel, “Behold, I will do a thing in Israel at which 
both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. In 
that day I will perform against Eli all that I have spoken 
concerning his house, from the beginning even unto the 
end. For I have told him that I will judge his house for 
ever, for the iniquity which he knew, because his sons did 
bring a curse upon themselves, and he restrained them 
not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, 
that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated with 
sacrifice nor offering for ever.” 

And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the 
doors of the house of Jehovah. And Samuel feared to 
show Eli the vision. Then Eli called Samuel, and said, 
“Samuel, my son.” And he said, “Here am I.” And 
he said, “ What is the thing that Jehovah hath spoken 
unto theef I pray thee, hide it not from me: God do so 


DAVID AND GOLIATH 


337 


to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me 
of all the things that he spake unto thee.” And Samuel 
told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he 
said, “It is Jehovah: let him do what seemeth him 
good.” 

And Samuel grew, and Jehovah was with him, and did 
let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel 
knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of Je¬ 
hovah. And Jehovah appeared again in Shiloh; for Je¬ 
hovah revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word 
of Jehovah. And the word of Samuel came to all Israel 


DAVID AND GOLIATH. 

[FROM I. “SAMUEL, CHAP. 17 .] 

N OW the Philistines gathered together their armies 
to battle. And Saul and the men of Israel were 
gathered together, and set the battle in array. 
And the Philistines stood on the mountain on the one 
side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other 
side: and there was a valley between them. And there 
went out a champion out of the camp of the Philis¬ 
tines, named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was six 
cubits and a span. And he had a helmet of brass upon 
his head, and he was clad with a coat of mail. And 
he had greaves of brass upon his legs, and a javelin 
of brass between his shoulders. And the staff of his 
spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his shield-bearer 
went before him. And he stood and cried unto the armies 
of Israel, and said unto them, “Why are ye come out 
to set your battle in array? am not I a Philistine, and ye 
servants to Saul ? choose you a man for you, and let him 
come down to me. If he be able to fight with me, and kill 
me, then will we be your servants; but if I prevail against 
him, and kill him, then shall ye be our servants, and serve 
us.” 

And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel 
this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” 


338 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


And when Saul and all Israel heard those words of the 
Philistine, they were dismayed, and greatly afraid. 

Now David was the youngest son of Jesse, and the three 
eldest followed Saul. He went to and fro from Saul to 
feed his father’s sheep at Beth-lehem. And the Philis¬ 
tine drew near morning and evening, and presented him¬ 
self forty days. 

And Jesse said unto David his son, “Take now for thy 
brethren this parched grain, and these ten loaves, and 
carry them quickly to the camp to thy brethren; and bring 
these ten cheeses unto the captain of their thousand, and 
look how thy brethren fare, and take their pledge.” Now 
Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the 
vale of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. And David 
rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a 
keeper, and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; 
and he came to the place of the wagons, as the host which 
was going forth to the fight shouted for the battle. And 
Israel and the Philistines put the battle in array, army 
against army. And David left his baggage in the hand 
of the keeper of the baggage, and ran to the army, and 
came and saluted his brethren. And as he talked with 
them, behold, there came up the champion, the Philistine 
of Gath, Goliath by name, out of the ranks of the Philis¬ 
tines, and spake according to the same words: and David 
heard them. And all the men of Israel, when they saw 
the man, fled from him, and were sore afraid. 

And the men of Israel said, “Have ye seen this man 
that is come up ? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and 
it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will en¬ 
rich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, 
and make his father’s house free in Israel.” 

David spake to the men that stood by him, saying, 
“What shall he done to the man that killeth this Philis¬ 
tine, and taketh away the reproach from Israel? for who 
is this Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the 
living God?” And the people answered him after this 
manner, saying, “So shall it he done to the man that 
killeth him.” 

And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto 


DAVID AND GOLIATH 


339 


the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David, 
and he said, “Why art thou come down? and with whom 
hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know 
thy pride, and the naughtiness of thy heart; for thou art 
come down that thou mightest see the battle. ,, And 
David said, “What have I now done? Is there not a 
cause ?’ ’ And he turneth away from him toward another, 
and spake after the same manner: and the people an¬ 
swered him again after the former manner. 

And when the words were heard which David spake, 
they rehearsed them before Saul; and he sent for him. 
And David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because 
of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine. ’ ’ 
And Saul said to David, ‘ ‘ Thou art not able to go against 
this Philistine to fight with him; for thou art but a youth, 
and he a man of war from his youth.” 

David said unto Saul, “Thy servant was keeping his 
father’s sheep; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and 
took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after him, and 
smote him, and delivered it out of his mouth, and when 
he arose against me, I caught him by his beard, and smote 
him, and slew him. Thy servant smote both the lion and 
the bear: and this Philistine shall be as one of them, see¬ 
ing he hath defied the armies of the living God.” 

And David said, ‘‘ Jehovah that delivered me out of the 
paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will 
deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul 
said unto David, “Go, and Jehovah shall be with thee.” 
And Saul clad David with his apparel, and he put a hel¬ 
met of brass upon his head, and he clad him with a coat 
of mail. And David girded his sword upon his apparel, 
and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And 
David said unto Saul, “I cannot go with these; for I have 
not proved them.” And David put them off him. And 
he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth 
stones out of the brook, and put them in the shepherd’s 
bag which he had, even in his wallet; and his sling was in 
his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. 

And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; 
and the man that bare the shield went before him. And 
i—w 


340 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he dis¬ 
dained him; for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and withal 
of a fair countenance. The Philistine said unto David, 
‘ i Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves ? ’’ And 
the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philis¬ 
tine said to David, “Come to me, and I will give thy flesh 
unto the birds of the heavens, and to the beasts of the 
field.” Then said David to the Philistine, “Thou comest 
to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a javelin: 
but I come to thee in the name of Jehovah of hosts, the 
God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This 
day will Jehovah deliver thee into my hand; and I will 
smite thee, and take thy head from off thee; and I will 
give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this 
day unto the birds of the heavens, and to the wild beasts 
of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a 
God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that 
Jehovah saveth not with sword and spear; for the battle 
is Jehovah’s, and he will give you into our hand.” And 
it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and 
drew nigh to meet David, that David hastened, and ran 
toward the army to meet the Philistine. And David put 
his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slung 
it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead; and the stone 
sank into his forehead, and he fell upon his face to the 
earth. 

So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and 
with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but 
there was no sword in the hand of David. Then David 
ran, and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword, 
and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and 
cut off his head therewith. When the Philistines saw 
that their champion was dead, they fled. And the men 
of Israel and of Judah arose, and shouted, and pursued 
the Philistines. And the children of Israel returned from 
chasing after the Philistines, and they plundered their 
camp. And David took the head of the Philistine, and 
brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armor in his tent. 


SOLOMON AND THE QUEEN OF SHEBA 


341 


SOLOMON AND THE QUEEN OF SHEBA. 

[FROM I KINGS, CHAP. 10 .] 

W HEN the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of 
Solomon concerning the name of Jehovah, she 
came to prove him with hard questions. 

And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, 
with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and 
precious stones; and when she was come to Solomon, she 
communed with him of all that was in her heartt. And 
Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any 
thing hid from the king which he told her not. And when 
the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, 
and the house that he had built, and the food of his table, 
and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his 
ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his 
ascent by which he went up unto the house of Jehovah; 
there was no more spirit in her. 

And she said to the king, “It was a true report that 
I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wis¬ 
dom. Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, 
and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not 
told me; thy wisdom and prosperity exceed the fame 
which I heard. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy 
servants, that stand continually before thee, and that 
hear thy wisdom. Blessed he Jehovah thy God, who de¬ 
lighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because 
Jehovah loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee 
king, to do justice and righteousness.’’ 

And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents 
of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious 
stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as 
these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon. 

And king Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba all her 
desire, whatsoever she asked, besides that which Solo¬ 
mon gave her of his royal bounty. So she turned, and 
went to her own land, she and her servants. 


342 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


ELIJAH AND THE WIDOW’S SON. 

[FROM I. KINGS, CHAP. 17 .] 

E LIJAH said unto King Ahab, “ As Jehovah, the God 
of Israel, liveth, before whom I stand, there shall 
not be dew nor rain these years but according to 
my word.” And the word of Jehovah came unto him, 
saying, “Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and 
hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before the Jor¬ 
dan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; 
and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.” 
So he went and did according unto the word of Jehovah. 
And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morn¬ 
ing, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of 
the brook. And after a while the brook dried up, because 
there was no rain in the land. 

And the word of Jehovah came unto him, saying, 
“Arise, get thee to Zarephath, and dwell there: I have 
commanded a widow there to sustain thee.” So he arose 
and went to Zarephath; and when he came to the gate of 
the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks: and 
he called to her, and said, “Fetch me, I pray thee, a little 
water in a vessel, that I may drink.” 

And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and 
said, “Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thy 
hand.” And she said, “As Jehovah thy God liveth, I 
have not a cake, but a handful of meal in the jar, and a 
little oil in the cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two 
sticks, that I may go in and dress it for me and my son, 
that we may eat it and die.” 

And Elijah said unto her, “Fear not; go and do as 
thou hast said; but make me thereof a little cake first, 
and bring it forth unto me, and afterward make for thee 
and for thy son. For thus saith Jehovah, the God of 
Israel, The jar of meal shall not waste, neither shall the 
cruse of oil fail, until the day that Jehovah sendeth rain 
upon the earth.” And she went and did according to 
the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did 


NAAMAN THE LEPER 


343 


eat many days. The jar of meal wasted not, neither did 
the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of Jehovah, 
which he spake by Elijah. 

And after these things, the son of the woman, the mis¬ 
tress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, 
that there was no breath left in him. And she said unto 
Elijah, 4 ‘What have I to do with thee, 0 thou man of 
God ? thou art come unto me to bring my sin to remem¬ 
brance, and to slay my son!” And he said unto her, 
4 4 Give me thy son. ’’ And he took him out of her bosom, 
and carried him up into the chamber, where he abode, 
and laid him upon his own bed. 

And he cried unto Jehovah, and said, 44 0 Jehovah my 
God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with 
whom I sojourn, by slaying her son?” And he stretched 
himself upon the child three times, and cried unto Jeho¬ 
vah, and said, 44 0 Jehovah my God, I pray thee, let this 
child’s soul come into him again.” And Jehovah heark¬ 
ened unto the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child 
came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took 
the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into 
the house, and delivered him unto his mother; and Elijah 
said, 4 4 See, thy son liveth.” And the woman said unto 
Elijah, 4 4 Now I know that thou art a man of God, and 
that the word of Jehovah in thy mouth is truth. ’’ 


NAAMAN, THE LEPEB. 

[FROM II KINGS, CHAP. 5 .] 

N AAMAN, captain of the host of the king of Syria, 
was a great man with his master, and honorable, 
because by him Jehovah had given victory unto 
Syria: he was also a mighty man of valor, but he was a 
leper. And the Syrians had gone out in bands, and had 
brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little 
maiden; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. 

And she said unto her mistress, 4 4 Would that my lord 


344 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


were with the prophet that is in Samaria! then would he 
recover him of his leprosy.’’ 

And one went in, and told his lord, saying, ‘ < Thus and 
thus said the maiden, that is of the land of Israel.” And 
the king of Syria said, ‘ 4 Go now, and I will send a letter 
unto the king of Israel. ’ ’ 

He departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, 
and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of rai¬ 
ment. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, 
saying, “And now when this letter is come unto thee, 
behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou 
mayest recover him of his leprosy . 9 9 

When the king of Israel had read the letter, he rent his 
clothes, and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, 
that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his 
leprosy? but consider, I pray you, and see how he seek- 
eth a quarrel against me. ’ ’ 

When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of 
Israel had rent his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, 
“Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come 
now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in 
Israel.” 

So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots, 
and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. And Elisha 
sent a messenger unto him, saying, ‘ 1 Go and wash in the 
Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to 
thee, and thou shalt be clean . 9 9 

But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, 
“Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and 
stand, and call on the name of Jehovah his God, and 
wave his hand over the place, and recover the leper. 
Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, 
better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in 
them, and be clean ? ” So he turned and went away in a 
rage. 

And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and 
said, “My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some 
great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much 
rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?” 

Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in 


NAAMAN THE LEPER 


345 


the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: 
and his flesh came again like nnto the flesh of a little 
child, and he was clean. 

And he returned to the man of God, he and all his com¬ 
pany, and came, and stood before him; and he said , 6 ‘ Be¬ 
hold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but 
in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a present of 
thy servant.” 

But he said, “As Jehovah liveth, before whom I stand, 
I will receive none.” 

And he urged him to take it; but he refused. And 
Naaman said, “If not, yet, I pray thee, let there be given 
to thy servant two mules’ burden of earth; for thy servant 
will henceforth offer neither burnt-offering nor sacrifice 
unto other gods, but unto Jehovah. In this thing Jeho¬ 
vah pardon thy servant: when my master goeth into 
the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth 
on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, 
when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, Jehovah par¬ 
don thy servant in this thing.” And he said unto him, 
“ Go in peace. ” So he departed from him a little way. 

But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, 
“Behold, my master hath spared this Naaman the Syrian, 
in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: as 
Jehovah liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat 
of him.” So Gehazi followed after Naaman. 

When Naaman saw one running after him, he alighted 
from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is all well?” 
And he said, “All is well. My master hath sent me, 
saying, Behold, even now there are come to me from the 
hill-country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the 
prophets; give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and 
two changes of raiment.” 

Naaman said, “Be pleased to take two talents.” And 
he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, 
with two changes of raiment, and laid them upon two of 
his servants: and they bare them before him. And when 
he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and 
bestowed them in the house; and he let the men go, and 


346 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


they departed. But he went in, and stood before his 
master. 

And Elisha said unto him, “Whence comest thou, 
Gehazi?” And he said, “Thy servant went no whither.” 
And he said unto him, “Went not my heart with thee, 
when the man turned from his chariot to meet thee? Is 
it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and 
oliveyards and vineyards, and sheep and oxen, and men- 
servants and maid-servants? The leprosy therefore of 
Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for 
ever.’’ 

And he went out from his presence a leper as white 
as snow. 


QUEEN ESTHER. 

[FROM THE BOOK OF ESTHER.] 

I N the days of Ahasuerus (this is Ahasuerus who 
reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, over a hun¬ 
dred and seven and twenty provinces), when the king 
Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was 
in Shushan the palace, in the third year of his reign, he 
made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the 
power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the 
provinces, being before him; when he showed the riches 
of his glorious kingdom and the honor of his excellent 
majesty, even a hundred and fourscore days. And when 
these days were fulfilled, the king made a feast unto all 
the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both 
great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of 
the king’s palace. 

Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in 
the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus. On 
the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry, 
he commanded the seven chamberlains that ministered 
in his presence to bring Vashti the queen before the king 
with the crown royal, to show the peoples and the princes 
her beauty; for she was fair to look on. But the queen 
Vashti refused to come at the king’s commandment by 


QUEEN ESTHER 


347 


the chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and 
his anger burned in him. 

Then the king said to the wise men, “'What shall we 
do unto the queen Vashti according to law, because she 
hath not done the bidding of the king Ahasuerus by the 
chamberlains ? ’’ 

And Memucan answered before the king and the 
princes, “Vashti the queen hath not done wrong to the 
king only, but also to all the princes, and to all the peo¬ 
ples that are in all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus. 
If it please the king, let there go forth a royal command¬ 
ment from him, and let it be written among the laws of 
the Persians and the Medes, that it be not altered, that 
Vashti come no more before king Ahasuerus; and let the 
king give her royal estate unto another that is better 
than she.” 

And the saying pleased the king and the princes; and 
the king did according to the word of Memucan. 

When the wrath of king Ahasuerus was pacified, he 
remembered Vashti, and what she had done, and what 
was decreed against her. Then said the king’s servants 
that ministered unto him, “Let there be fair young vir¬ 
gins sought for the king: and let the king appoint officers 
in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather 
together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the 
palace, to the house of the women, and let the maiden that 
pleaseth the king be queen instead of Vashti.” And the 
thing pleased the king; and he did so. 

There was a certain Jew in Shushan the palace, whose 
name was Mordecai, a Benjamite, who had been carried 
away from Jerusalem with the captives that had been 
carried away with Jeconiali king of Judah, whom Nebu¬ 
chadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. And 
he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s 
daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the 
maiden was fair and beautiful; and when her father and 
mother were dead, Mordecai took her for his own daugh¬ 
ter. 

So, when the king’s commandment and his decree was 
heard, and when many maidens were gathered together, 


348 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


Esther was taken into the king’s house; and the maiden 
pleased him, and she obtained kindness of him; and he 
removed her and her maidens to the best place of the 
house of the women. Esther had not made known her 
people nor her kindred; for Mordecai had charged her 
that she should not make it known. And Mordecai 
walked every day before the court of the women’s house, 
to know how Esther did, and what would become of her. 

And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all of them 
that looked upon her; and the king loved Esther above 
all the women, and she obtained favor and kindness in 
his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the 
royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead 
of Vashti. Then the king made a great feast unto all 
his princes and servants, even Esther’s feast; and he 
made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, accord¬ 
ing to the bounty of the king. 

Esther had not yet made known her kindred nor her 
people; as Mordecai had charged her; for Esther did the 
commandment of Mordecai, like as when she was brought 
up with him. While Mordecai was sitting in the king’s 
gate, two of the king’s chamberlains, Bigthan and Teresh, 
of those that kept the threshold, were wroth, and sought 
to lay hands on the king Ahasuerus. And the thing be¬ 
came known to Mordecai, who showed it unto Esther the 
queen; and Esther told the king thereof in Mordecai’s 
name. And when inquisition was made of the matter, 
and it was found to he so, they were both hanged on a 
tree: and it was written in the book of the chronicles be¬ 
fore the king. 

After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman, 
and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes 
that were with him. And all the king’s servants, that 
were in the king’s gate, bowed down, and did reverence 
to Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning 
him. But Mordecai bowed not down, nor did him rever¬ 
ence. Then the king’s servants, that were in the king’s 
gate, said unto Mordecai, “Why transgressest thou the 
king’s commandment!” Now it came to pass, when they 
spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, 


QUEEN ESTHER 


349 


that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s matters 
would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew. 
And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not down, nor 
did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath. But 
he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for 
they had made known to him the people of Mordecai: 
wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that 
were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even 
the people of Mordecai. 

Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, “ There is a certain 
people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples 
in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are 
diverse from those of every people; neither keep they 
the king’s laws: therefore it is not for the king’s profit 
to suffer them. If it please the king, let it be written 
that they be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand tal¬ 
ents of silver into the hands of those that have the charge 
of the king’s business, to bring it into the king’s treas¬ 
uries.” 

And the king took his ring from his hand, and gave it 
unto Haman, the Jew’s enemy. 

And the king said unto Haman, “The silver is given 
to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth 
good to thee.” 

Then were the king’s scribes called in; and there was 
written according to all that Haman commanded unto 
the king’s satraps, and to the governors that were over 
every province, and to the princes of every people, to 
every province according to the writing thereof, and to 
every people after their language; in the name of king 
Ahasuerus was it written, and it was sealed with the 
king’s ring. And letters were sent by posts into all the 
king’s provinces, to destroy, to slay, and to cause to 
perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and 
women, in one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the 
twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and to take the 
spoil of them for a prey. And the king and Haman sat 
down to drink; but the city of Shushan was perplexed. 

Now when Mordecai knew all that was done, he rent 
his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out 


350 STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 

into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and bitter 
cry; and he came even before the king’s gate: for none 
might enter within the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. 
And in every province, whithersoever the king’s com¬ 
mandment and his decree came, there was great mourning 
among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; 
and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. 

And Esther’s maidens and her chamberlains came and 
told it her; and the queen was exceedingly grieved: and 
she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take his sack¬ 
cloth from off him; but he received it not. Then called 
Esther for one of the king’s chamberlains, whom he had 
appointed to attend upon her, and charged him to go to 
Mordecai, to know what this was, and why it was. So 
Hathach went forth to Mordecai unto the broad place 
of the city, which was before the king’s gate. And Mor¬ 
decai told him of all that had happened unto him, and 
the exact sum of the money that Haman had promised 
to pay to the king’s treasuries for the Jews, to destroy 
them. Also he gave him the copy of the writing of the 
decree that was given out in Shushan to destroy them, 
to show it unto Esther, and to declare it unto her, and to 
charge her that she should go in unto the king, to make 
supplication unto him, and to make request before him, 
for her people. 

And Hathach came and told Esther the words of Mor¬ 
decai. Then Esther spake unto Hathach, and gave him a 
message unto Mordecai, saying: 

“All the king’s servants, and the people of the king’s 
provinces, do know, that whosoever, whether man or 
woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, 
who is not called, there is one law for him, that he be put 
to death, except those to whom the king shall hold out 
the golden sceptre, that he may live: but I have not been 
called to come in unto the king these thirty days.” 

And they told to Mordecai Esther’s words. 

Then Mordecai bade them return answer unto Esther, 
“Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the 
king’s house, more than all the Jews. For if thou alto¬ 
gether holdest thy peace at this time, then will relief and 


QUEEN ESTHER 


351 


deliverance arise to the Jews from another place, but thou 
and thy father’s house will perish: and who knoweth 
whether thou art not come to the kingdom for such a time 
as this?” 

Then Esther bade them return answer unto Mordecai, 
“Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shu- 
shan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three 
days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast in 
like manner; and so will I go in unto the king, which is 
not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. ’ ’ 

So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that 
Esther had commanded him. 

Now on the third day, Esther put on her royal apparel, 
and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, over 
against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal 
throne in the royal house, over against the entrance of 
the house. And when the king saw Esther the queen 
standing in the court, she obtained favor in his sight; and 
the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was 
in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top 
of the sceptre. 

Then said the king unto her, “What wilt thou, queen 
Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be given thee 
even to the half of the kingdom.” And Esther said, “If 
it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come 
this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him. ’ ’ 

Then the king said, “Cause Haman to make haste, that 
it may be done as Esther hath said.” So the king and 
Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. 

The king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, 
“What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and 
what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it 
shall be performed.” 

Then answered Esther, and said, “My petition and 
my request is: “if I have found favor in the sight of the 
king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and 
to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to 
the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do 
to-morrow as the king hath said. ’ ’ 

Then went Haman forth that day joyful and glad of 


352 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, 
that he stood not up nor moved for him, he was filled 
with wrath against Mordecai. Nevertheless Haman 
refrained himself, and went home; and he sent and 
fetched his friends and Zeresh his wife. And Haman 
recounted unto them the glory of his riches, and the mul¬ 
titude of his children, and all the things wherein the king 
had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above 
the princes and servants of the king. 

Haman said moreover, “Yea, Esther the queen did let 
no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she 
had prepared but myself; and to-morrow also am I 
invited by her together with the king. Yet all this avail- 
eth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting 
at the king’s gate.” 

Then said his wife and all his friends unto him ,‘ 1 Let a 
gallows be made fifty cubits high, and in the morning 
speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged 
thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the 
banquet And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused 
the gallows to be made. 

On that night could not the king sleep; and he com¬ 
manded to bring the book of records of the chonicles, 
and they were read before the king. And it was found 
written, that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, 
two of the king’s chamberlains, of those that kept the 
threshold, who had sought to lay hands on the king 
Ahasuerus. 

And the king said, “What honor and dignity hath been 
bestowed on Mordecai for this ? 

Then said the king’s servants that ministered unto him, 
“There is nothing done for him.” 

The king said. “Who is in the court?” Now Haman 
was come into the outward court of the king’s house, to 
speak unto the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows that 
he had prepared for him. 

And the king’s servants said unto him, “Behold, 
Haman standeth in the court.” And the king said, “Let 
him come in.” 

So Haman came in. And the king said unto him, 


353 


QUEEN ESTHER 

“What shall be done unto the man whom the king delight- 
eth to honor ?” 

Now Haman said in his heart, “To whom would the 
king delight to do honor more than to myself ?” 

And Haman said unto the king, “For the man whom 
the king delighteth to honor, let royal apparel be brought 
which the king useth to wear, and the horse that the king 
ridetli upon, and on the head of which a crown royal is 
set: and let the apparel and the horse be delivered to the 
hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that they 
may array the man therewith whom the king delighteth 
to honor, and cause him to ride on horseback through the 
street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus shall it 
be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honor.’’ 

Then the king said to Haman, “Make haste, and take 
the apparel and the horse, as thou hast said, and do even 
so to Mordecai the Jew, that sitteth at the king’s gate: 
let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken.” 

Then took Haman the apparel and the horse, and ar¬ 
rayed Mordecai, and caused him to ride through the 
street of the city, and proclaimed before him , i 1 Thus shall 
it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to 
honor.” 

And Mordecai came again to the king’s gate. But 
Haman hasted to his house, mourning and having his 
head covered. And Haman recounted unto Zeresh his 
wife and all his friends every thing that had befallen him. 

Then said his wise men and Zeresh his wife unto him, 
“If Mordecai, before whom thou hast begun to fall, be 
of the seed of the Jews, thou shalt not prevail against 
him, but shalt surely fall before him.” 

While they were yet talking with him, came the king’s 
chamberlains, and hasted to bring Haman unto the ban¬ 
quet that Esther had prepared. 

So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther 
the queen. And the king said again unto Esther on the 
second day at the banquet of wine, “What is thy petition, 
queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is 
thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be 
performed.” 


354 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


Then Esther the queen answered and said, “If I have 
found favor in thy sight, 0 king, and if it please the king, 
let my life he given me at my petition, and my people at. 
my request: for we are sold, I and my people, to be de¬ 
stroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been 
sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my peace, 
although the adversary could not have compensated for 
the king’s damage.’’ 

Then spake the king Ahasuerus and said unto Esther 
the queen, “Who is he, and where is he, that durst pre¬ 
sume in his heart to do so ? ’ ’ 

And Esther said, “An adversary and an enemy, even 
this wicked Haman. ’’' 

Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen. 
And the king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine 
and went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up 
to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he 
saw that there was evil determined against him by the 
king. 

Said Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, “Behold also, 
the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman hath made for 
Mordecai, who spake good for the king, standeth in the 
house of Haman.” 

And the king said, ‘ ‘ Hang him thereon. ’ ’ 

So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had pre¬ 
pared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified. 

On that day did the king Ahasuerus give the house of 
Haman the Jews’ enemy unto Esther the queen. And 
Mordecai came before the king; for Esther had told what 
he was unto her. And the king took off his ring, which 
he had taken from Haman, and gave it unto Mordecai. 
And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman. 

And Esther spake yet again before the king, and fell 
down at his feet, and besought him with tears to put away 
the mischief of Haman the Agagite, and his device that 
he had devised against the Jews. Then the king held 
out to Esther the golden sceptre. So Esther arose, and 
stood before the king. 

And she said, “If it please the king, and if I have found 
favor in his sight, and the thing seem right before the 


QUEEN ESTHER 


355 


king, and I be pleasing in his eyes, let it be written to 
reverse the letters devised by Hainan, the son of Ham- 
medatha the Agagite, which he wrote to destroy the Jews 
that are in all the king’s provinces: for how can I endure 
to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how 
can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred ? ’ ’ 

Then the king Ahasuerus said unto Esther the queen 
and to Mordecai the Jew, “ Behold, I have given Esther 
the house of Haman, and him they have hanged upon the 
gallows, because he laid his hand upon the Jews. Write 
ye also to the Jews, as it pleaseth you, in the king’s name, 
and seal it with the king’s ring; for the writing which is 
written in the king’s name, and sealed with the king’s 
ring, may no man reverse.” 

Then were the king’s scribes called at that time, in the 
third month, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and 
it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded 
unto the Jews, and to the satraps, and the governors and 
princes of the provinces which are from India unto Ethi¬ 
opia, a hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every 
province according to the writing thereof, and unto every 
people after their language, and to the Jews according 
to their writing, and according to their language. 

He wrote in the name of the king Ahasuerus, and sealed 
it with the king’s ring, and sent letters by posts on horse¬ 
back, riding on swift steeds that were used in the king’s 
service, bred of the stud; wherein the king granted the 
Jews that were in every city to gather themselves to¬ 
gether, and to stand for their life, to destroy, to slay, and 
to cause to perish, all the power of the people and prov¬ 
ince that would assault them, their little ones and women, 
and to take the spoil of them for a prey, upon one day 
in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus, namely, upon the 
thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month 
Adar. 

So the posts that rode upon swift steeds that were used 
in the king’s service went out, being hastened and pressed 
on by the king’s commandment; and the decree was given 
out in Shushan the palace. 

And Mordecai went forth from the presence of the 


356 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great 
crown of gold, and with a robe of fine linen and purple: 
and the city of Shushan shouted and was glad. The Jews 
had light and gladness, and joy and honor. And in every 
province, and in every city, whithersoever the king’s com¬ 
mandment and his decree came, the Jews had gladness 
and joy, a feast and a good day. And many from among 
the peoples of the land became Jews; for the fear of the 
Jews was fallen upon them. 

Now in the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, 
on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king’s com¬ 
mandment and his decree drew near to be put in execu¬ 
tion, on the day that the enemies of the Jews hoped to 
have rule over them, (whereas it was turned to the con¬ 
trary, that the Jews had rule over them that hated them,) 
the Jews gathered themselves together in their cities 
throughout all the provinces of the king Ahasuerus, to lay 
hand on such as sought their hurt: and no man could with¬ 
stand them; for the fear of them was fallen upon all the 
peoples. And all the princes of the provinces, and the 
satraps, and the governors, and they that did the king’s 
business, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai 
was fallen upon them. For Mordecai was great in the 
king’s house, and his fame went forth throughout all the 
provinces; for the man Mordecai waxed greater and 
greater. 

And the Jews that were in Shushan gathered them¬ 
selves together on the fourteenth day also of the month 
Adar, and slew three hundred men in Shushan; but on 
the spoil they laid not their hand. And the other Jews 
that were in the king’s provinces gathered themselves 
together, and stood for their lives, and had rest from 
their enemies, and slew of them that hated them seventy 
and five thousand; but on the spoil they laid not their 
hand. 

But the Jews that were in Shushan assembled together 
on the thirteenth day thereof, and on the fourteenth 
thereof; and on the fifteenth day of the same they rested, 
and made it a day of feasting and gladness. Therefore 
do the Jews of the \illages, that dwell in the unwalled 


THE FEAST OF BELSHAZZAR 


357 


towns, make the fourteenth day of the month Adar a day 
of gladness and feasting, and a good day, and of sending 
portions one to another. 

And because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Aga- 
gite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the 
Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to 
consume them and to destroy them; they called these days 
Purim, after the name of Pur. 


THE FEAST OF BELSHAZZAR. 

[FKOM DANIEL, CHAP. 5 .] 

B ELSHAZZAR the king made a great feast to a thou¬ 
sand of his lords, and drank wine before the thou¬ 
sand. Belshazzar, while he tasted the wine, com¬ 
manded to bring the golden and silver vessels which Neb¬ 
uchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which 
was in Jerusalem; that the king and his lords might drink 
therefrom. Then they brought the golden vessels that 
were taken out of the temple of the house of God which 
was at Jerusalem; and the king and his lords drank from 
them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, 
and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood and of stone. 

In the same hour came forth the fingers of a man’s 
hand and wrote over against the candlestick upon the 
plaster of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw 
the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king’s coun¬ 
tenance was changed in him, and his thoughts troubled 
him; and the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees 
smote one against another. The king cried aloud to 
bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the sooth¬ 
sayers. 

The king spake and said to the wise men of Babylon, 
“Whosoever shall read this writing, and show me the 
interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with purple, and 
have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third 
ruler in the kingdom.” 

Then came in all the king’s wise men; but they could 


358 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


not read the writing, nor make known to the king the 
interpretation. Then was king Belshazzar greatly trou¬ 
bled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his 
lords were perplexed. 

Now the queen by reason of the words of the king and 
his lords came into the banquet house: the queen spake 
and said, “0 king, live for ever; let not thy thoughts 
trouble thee, nor let thy countenance be changed: there 
is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the 
holy gods; and in the days of thy father light and under¬ 
standing and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, were 
found in him; and the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, 
the king, I say, thy father, made him master of the magi¬ 
cians, enchanters, Chaldeans and soothsayers; forasmuch 
as an excellent spirit and knowledge, and understanding, 
interpreting of dreams, and showing of dark sentences, 
and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, 
whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be 
called, and he will show the interpretation. ’ ’ 

Then was Daniel brought in before the king. The king 
spake and said unto Daniel, “Art thou that Daniel, who 
art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom 
the king my father brought out of Judah? I have heard 
of thee, that the spirit of the gods is in thee, and that light 
and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in 
thee. And now the wise men, the enchanters, have been 
brought in before me, that they should read this writing, 
and make known unto me the interpretation thereof; but 
they could not show the interpretation of the thing. But 
I have heard of thee, that thou canst give interpretations, 
and dissolve doubts: now if thou canst read the writing, 
and make known to me the interpretation thereof, thou 
shalt be clothed with purple, and have a chain of gold 
about thy neck, and shalt be the third ruler in the king¬ 
dom.’ ’ 

Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let 
thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; 
nevertheless I will read the writing unto the king, and 
make known to him the interpretation. 0 thou king, the 
Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father the king- 


THE FEAST OF BELSHAZZAR 


359 


dom, and greatness, and glory, and majesty: and because 
of the greatness that he gave him, all the peoples, nations, 
and languages trembled and feared before him: whom 
he would he slew, and whom he would he kept alive; and 
whom he would he raised up, and whom he would he put 
down. But when his heart was lifted up, and his spirit 
was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was deposed 
from his kingly throne, and they took his glory from him: 
and he was driven from the sons of men, and his heart 
was made like the beasts’, and his dwelling was with the 
wild asses: he was fed with grass like oxen, and his body 
was wet with the dew of heaven; until he knew that the 
Most High God ruleth in the kingdom of men, and that 
he setteth up over it whomsoever he will. And thou his 
son, 0 Belshazzar, hast not humbled thy heart, though 
thou knewest all this, but hast lifted up thyself against 
the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels 
of his house before thee, and thou and thy lords have 
drunk wine from them; and thou hast praised the gods 
of silver and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which 
see not, nor hear, nor know; and the God in whose hand 
thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not 
glorified; then was the part of the hand sent from before 
him, and this writing was inscribed. 

“And this is the writing that was inscribed: 

“Mene, mene, tekel, tjpharsin. 

‘ This is the interpretation of the thing: mene; God 
hath numbered thy kingdom, and brought it to an end. 
tekel; thou art weighed in the balances, and art found 
wanting. Peres; thy kingdom is divided, and given to 
the Medes and Persians.” 

Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel 
with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and 
made proclamation concerning him, that he should be the 
third ruler in the kingdom. 



360 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


DANIEL IN THE LIONS’ DEN. 

[FROM DANIEL, CHAP. 6.] 

I T pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a hundred 
and twenty satraps, who should be throughout the 
whole kingdom; and over them three presidents, of 
whom Daniel was one; that these satraps might give ac¬ 
count unto them, and that the king should have no dam¬ 
age. Then this Daniel was distinguished above the presi- 
ents and the satraps, because an excellent spirit was in 
him; and the king thought to set him over the whole 
realm. 

Then the presidents and the satraps sought to find oc¬ 
casion against Daniel as touching the kingdom; but they 
could find no occasion nor fault, forasmuch as he was 
faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in 
him. Then said these men, We shall not find any oc¬ 
casion against this Daniel, except we find it against him 
concerning the law of his God. 

Then these presidents and satraps assembled together 
to the king, and said thus unto him, “King Darius, live 
for ever. All the presidents cf the kingdom, the deputies 
and the satraps, the counsellors and the governors, have 
consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to 
make a strong interdict, that whosoever shall ask a pe¬ 
tition of any god or man for thirty days, save of thee, 0 
king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. Now, 0 king, 
establish the interdict, and sign the writing, that it be not 
changed according to the law of the Medes and Persians, 
which altereth not.” 

Wherefore King Darius signed the writing and the 
interdict. 

And when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he 
went into his house; (now his windows were open in his 
chamber toward Jerusalem;) and he kneeled upon his 
knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks 
before his God, as he did aforetime. 

Then these men assembled together, and found 


DANIEL IN THE LIONS’ DEN 361 

Daniel making petition and supplication before his 
God. 

Then they came near, and spake before the king con¬ 
cerning the king’s interdict: “Hast thou not signed an 
interdict, that every man that shall make petition unto 
any god or man within thirty days, save unto thee, 0 king, 
shall be cast into the den of lions f ” 

The king answered and said, “The thing is true, ac¬ 
cording to the law of the Medes and Persians, which al- 
tereth not.” 

Then answered they and said before the king, “That 
Daniel, who is of the children of the captivity of Judah, 
regardeth not thee, 0 king, nor the interdict that thou 
hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.” 
Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore dis¬ 
pleased, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and 
he labored till the going down of the sun to rescue him. 
Then these men assembled together unto the king, and 
said unto the king, “Know, 0 king, that it is a law of 
the Medes and Persians, that no interdict nor statute 
which the king establisheth may be changed . 9 9 

Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, 
and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake 
and said unto Daniel, “Thy God whom thou servest con¬ 
tinually, he will deliver thee.” And a stone was brought, 
and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed 
it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; 
that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. Then 
the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting; 
neither were instruments of music brought before him: 
and his sleep fled from him. 

Then the king arose very early in the morning, and 
went in haste unto the den of lions. And when he came 
near unto the den to Daniel, he cried with a lamentable 
voice; the king spake and said to Daniel, “0 Daniel, 
servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thus servest 
continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?” Then 
said Daniel unto the king, “0 king, live for ever. My 
God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, 
and they have not hurt me; forasmuch as before him in- 

Vol. I—22 


362 


STORIES FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT 


nocency was found in me; and also before thee, 0 king, 
have I done no hurt.” 

Then was the king exceeding glad, and commanded that 
they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was 
taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found 
upon him, because he had trusted in his God. 

And the king commanded, and they brought those men 
that had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den 
of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the 
lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in 
pieces, before they came to the bottom of the den. 


STORIES FROM THE LIFE OF JESUS FOR CHIL¬ 
DREN UP TO TWELVE YEARS OF AGE. 


THE BIRTH OF JESUS. 

[FROM ST. LUKE 1 - 2 .] 

N OW the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a 
city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to Mary who 
was betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, 
of the house of David. And he came in unto her, and 
said, 

“Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with 
thee.” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and 
cast in her mind what manner of salutation this might be. 

And the angel said unto her, “Fear not, Mary: for thou 
hast found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt have 
a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, 
and shall be the Son of the Most High: and the Lord God 
shall give him unto the throne of his father David: and 
he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of 
his kingdom there shall be no end. ’ 1 

Now in those days, there went out a decree from Caesar 
Augustus, that all the world should be enrolled. And all 
went to enrol themselves, every one to his own city. And 
Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Naz¬ 
areth, into Judaea, to the city of David, which is called 
Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of 
David; to enrol himself with Mary. And while they were 
there, she brought forth her firstborn son; and she 
wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a man¬ 
ger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 

And there were shepherds in the same country abiding 
in the field, and keeping watch by night over their flock. 
And an angel of the Lord stood by them, and the glory 
363 


364 


STOKIES FBOM THE LIFE OF JESUS 


of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore 
afraid. And the angel said unto them, 

“Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good tidings 
of great joy which shall be to all the people: for there is 
born to you this day in this city of David a Saviour, who 
is Christ the Lord. And this is the sign unto you: Ye 
shall find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying 
in a manger .’ 9 

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of 
the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 

“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace to 
men and good will in whom he is well pleased. ’ ’ 

And when the angels went away from them into heaven, 
the shepherds said one to another, 

“Let us now go even up to Bethlehem, and see this 
thing that is come to pass, which the Lord hath made 
known unto us.” 

And they came with haste, and found both Mary and 
Joseph, and the babe lying in the manger. And when 
they saw it, they made known concerning the saying which 
was spoken to them about this child. And all that heard 
it wondered at the things which were spoken unto them 
by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these sayings, pon¬ 
dering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, 
glorifying and praising God for all the things that they 
had heard and seen, even as it was spoken unto them. 

And when eight days were fulfilled his name was called 
Jesus. 


THE WISE MEN FROM THE EAST. 

[FROM ST. MATTHEW, CHAP. l.J 

N OW when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea 
in the days of Herod the king, behold, Wise-men 
from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, 
“Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we saw 
his star in the east, and are come to worship him.” And 
when Herod the king heard it, he was troubled, and all 




















BETHLEHEM 
FROM A PHOTOGRAPH 

“Now Christ was born in Bethlehem.” 
Hark! the Herald Angels Sing 
Glory to the new-born King. 

Peace on Earth, and mercy mild, 

God and Sinners reconciled. 

With the Angel Hosts proclaim 
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.” 

Hark! the Herald Angels Sing 
Glory to the new-born King. 



THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT 


367 


Jerusalem with him. And gathering together all the 
chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of 
them where the Christ should be born. And they said 
unto him, 

“In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written through 
the prophet, 

‘And thou Bethlehem, land of Judah, 

Art in on wise least among the princes of Judah: 

For out of thee shall come forth a governor, 

Who shall be shepherd of my people Israel. ’ ■’ 

Then Herod privily called the Wise-men, and learned 
of them exactly what time the star appeared. And he 
sent them to Bethlehem, and said, 

‘ ‘ Go and search out exactly concerning the young child; 
and when ye have found him, bring me word, that I also 
may come and worship him.” 

And they, having heard the king, went their way; and 
lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, 
till it came and stood over where the young child was. 
And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceed¬ 
ing great joy. And they came into the house and saw 
the young child with Mary his mother; and they fell down 
and worshipped him; and opening their treasures they 
offered unto him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 
And being warned of God in a dream that they should not 
return to Herod, they departed into their own country 
another way. 


THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT. 

[FROM ST. MATTHEW, CHAP. 2 .] 

N OW when they were departed, behold, an angel of 
the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, 
“Arise and take the young child and his 
mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I tell 
thee: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. ,, 

And he arose and took the young child and his mother 
by night, and departed into Egypt; and was there until 


368 


STORIES FROM THE LIFE OF JESUS 


the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was 
spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of 
Egypt did I call my son.” 


THE SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS. 

[FROM ST. MATTHEW, CHAP. 2 .] 

T HEN Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of 
the Wise-men, was exceeding wroth, and sent 
forth, and slew all the male children that were in 
Bethlehem, and in all the borders thereof, from two years 
old and under, according to the time which he had exactly 
learned of the Wise-men. Then was fulfilled that which 
was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, 

4 ‘ A voice was heard in Ramah, 

Weeping and great mourning, 

Rachel weeping for her children; 

And she would not be comforted, because they are not.” 

But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord 
appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, 
“Arise and take the young child and his mother, and 
go into the land of Israel: for they are dead that sought 
the young child ’s life. ’ ’ 

And he arose and took the young child and his mother, 
and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that 
Archelaus was reigning over Judaea in the room of his 
father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; and being 
warned of God in a dream, he withdrew into the parts of 
Galilee, and came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth; 
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the 
prophets, that he should be called a Nazarene. 



JESUS IN THE TEMPLE 


369 


JESUS IN THE TEMPLE. 

[FROM ST. LUKE, CHAP. 2 .] 

A ND the child Jesus grew, and waxed strong, filled 
with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him. 
And his parents went every year to Jerusalem 
at the feast of the passover. And when he was twelve 
years old, they went up after the custom of the feast; and 
when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, 
the boy Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and his par¬ 
ents knew it not; but supposing him to be in the company, 
they went a day’s journey; and they sought for him 
among their kinsfolk and acquaintance: and when they 
found him not, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking for 
him. And it came to pass, after three days they found 
him in the temple sitting in the midst of the teachers, both 
hearing them, and asking them questions: and all that 
heard him were amazed at his understanding and his 
answers. And when they saw him, they were astonished; 
and his mother said unto him, 

“Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us! behold, thy 
father and I sought thee sorrowing.’ 9 
And he said unto them, < ‘ How is it that ye sought me ? 
knew ye not that I must he in my Father’s house?” 
And they understood not the saying which he spake unto 
them. And he went down with them, and came to Naza¬ 
reth; and he was subject unto them: and his mother kept 
all these sayings in her heart. 

And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in 
favor with God and men. 



370 


STORIES FROM THE LIFE OF JESUS 


FEEDING THE FIVE THOUSAND. 

[FROM ST. MATTHEW, CHAP. 14.] 

J ESUS withdrew in a boat, to a desert place apart 4 , 
and when the multitudes heard thereof, they fol¬ 
lowed him on foot from the cities. 

And he came forth, and saw a great multitude, and he 
had compassion on them, and healed their sick. And 
when even was come the disciples came to him, saying, 
“The place is desert and the time is already past; send 
the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages, 
and buy themselves food.” 

But Jesus said unto them, “They have no need to go 
away; give ye them to eat . 19 

And they say unto him, “We have here but five loaves 
and two fishes.” 

And he said, “Bring them hither to me.” And he com¬ 
manded the multitudes to sit down on the grass; and he 
took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to 
heaven, he blessed, and brake and gave the loaves to the 
disciples, and the disciples to the multitudes. 

And they all ate and were filled: and they took up that 
which remained over of the broken pieces twelve baskets 
full. And they that did eat were about five thousand 
men, besides women and children. 


THE RAISING OF JAIRUS’ DAUGHTER. 

[FROM ST. MARK, CHAP. 5.] 

A ND when Jesus had crossed over again in the boat 
unto the other side, a great multitude was gath¬ 
ered unto him; and he was by the sea. And 
there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus 
by name; and seeing him, he falleth at his feet, and be- 
seecheth him much, saying: 

“My little daughter is at the point of death: I pray 





* 


<> 


■ 














THE RAISING OF JAIRUS’ DAUGHTER 

AFTER THE PAINTING BY GUSTAV RICHTLER 

This famous picture hangs in the National Gallery of Berlin, 
Germany. Never was this miraculous occurrence more vividly 
presented, except in the language of Holy Writ, than it is here. 
“As He said ‘Maid Arise’, her spirit came again and she arose 
straightway.” We see her in the very act of arising, the parents 
and the three disciples gazing with wonder and astonishment. 








JESUS STILLS THE TEMPEST 


373 


thee, that thou come and lay thy hands on her, that she 
may be made whole, and live.” And he went with him; 
and a great multitude followed him, and they thronged 
him. . . . 

On the way they come from the ruler of the synagogue’s 
house, saying, “Thy daughter is dead: why troublest 
thou the Teacher any further ?” 

But Jesus, not heeding the word spoken, saith unto the 
ruler of the synagogue, “Fear not, only believe.’’ 

And he suffered no man to follow with him, save Peter, 
and James, and John the brother of James. And they 
come to the house of the ruler of the synagogue; and he 
beholdeth a tumult, and many weeping and wailing great¬ 
ly. And when he was entered in, he saith unto them, 
“Why make ye a tumult, and weep? the child is not 
dead, but sleepeth.” And they laughed him to scorn. 
But he, having put them all forth, taketh the father of 
the child and her mother and them that were with him, 
and goeth in where the child was. And taking the child 
by the hand, he saith unto her, “Talitha, cumi;’ y which is, 
being interpreted, “Damsel, I say unto thee, Arise.” 
And straightway the damsel rose up, and walked; for 
she was twelve years old. And they were amazed 
straightway with a great amazement. And he charged 
them much that no man should know this: and he com¬ 
manded that something should be given her to eat. 


JESUS STILLS THE TEMPEST. 


[FROM ST. MARK, CHAP. 5.] 


ND when even was come, he saith unto them, “Let 
us go over unto the other side.” 



^ And leaving the multitude, they take him with 

them, even as he was, in the boat. And other boats were 
with him. And there ariseth a great storm of wind, and 
the waves beat into the boat, insomuch that the boat was 
now filling. And he himself was in the stern, asleep on 


374 


STORIES FROM THE LIFE OF JESUS 


the cushion: and they awake him, and say unto him, 
“Teacher, carest thou not that we perish?” 

And he awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said unto 
the sea, “Peace, be still.’’ And the wind ceased, and 
there was a great calm. 

And he said unto them, “Why are ye fearful? have 
ye not yet faith?” And they feared exceedingly, and 
said one to another, “Who then is this, that even the 
wind and the sea obey him?” 


JESUS HEALS THE PARALYTIC. 

[FROM ST. LUKE, CHAP. 5 .] 

O N one of those days, Jesus was teaching; and there 
were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, 
who were come out of every village of Galilee 
and Judaea and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord 
was with him to heal. 

And behold, men bring on a bed a man that was palsied: 
and they sought to bring him in, and to lay him before 
him. And not finding by what way they might bring 
him in because of the multitude, they went up to the 
housetop, and let him down through the tiles with his 
couch into the midst before Jesus. And seeing their 
faith, he said, “Man, thy sins are forgiven thee.” 

And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, 
saying, “Who is this that speaketh blasphemies? Who 
can forgive sins, but God alone?” But Jesus, perceiving 
their reasonings, answered and said unto them, “Why 
reason ye in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Thy 
sins are forgiven thee;’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk?’ 
But that ye may know that the Son of man hath authority 
on earth to forgive sins” (he said unto him that was pal¬ 
sied), “I say unto thee, ‘Arise, and take up thy couch, 
and go unto thy house.’ ” And immediately he rose up 
before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and de¬ 
parted to his house, glorifying God. And amazement 
took hold on all, and they glorified God; and they were 












JESUS BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREN 

FROM THE PAINTING BY C. G. PFANNSCHMIDT 

I think when I read that sweet story of old, 

When Jesus was here among men, 

He called little children like lambs to His fold 
I should like to have been with Him then. 

I wish that His hands had been placed on my head 
That His arms had been thrown around me 
And that I might have seen His kind look when He 
“Let the little ones come unto me.” 


said 



JESUS AND THE LITTLE CHILDREN 


377 


filled with fear, saying, “We have seen strange things 
to-day/’ 


JESUS AND THE LITTLE CHILDREN. 

[FROM ST. LUKE, CHAP. 18.] 

T HEY were one day bringing unto him their babes, 
that he should touch them: but when the disciples 
saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them 
unto him, saying,‘ ‘ Suffer the little children to come unto 
me, and forbid them not: for to such belongeth the king¬ 
dom of God. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not 
receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in 
no wise enter therein .’ 9 And he took them in his arms 
and blessed them. 



THE TEACHING AND THE PARABLES OF JESUS. 
FROM THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. 

[FROM ST. LUKE, CHAP. 6, AND ST. MATTHEW, CHAP. 5 .] 

J ESUS went out into the mountain to pray; and he 
continued all night in prayer to God. And when it 
was day, he called his disciples; and he chose from 
them twelve, whom he also named apostles. And he 
lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: 

“Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the king¬ 
dom of heaven. 

“Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be com¬ 
forted. 

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 
“Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after right¬ 
eousness : for they shall be filled. 

i ‘ Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 
“Blessed are they that have been persecuted for right¬ 
eousness ’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

“Blessed are ye when men shall reproach you, and per¬ 
secute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, 
for my sake. 

“Rejoice, and he exceeding glad: for great is your 
reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets 
that were before you. 

t ‘ But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received 
your consolation. Woe unto you, ye that are full now! 
for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you, ye that laugh now! 
for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe unto you, when all 
men shall speak well of you! for in the same manner did 
their fathers to the false prophets. 

“But I say unto you that hear, Love your enemies, do 
good to them that hate you, bless them that curse you, 

378 


THE LORD’S PRAYER 


379 


pray for them that despitefully use you. To him that 
smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and 
from him that taketh away thy cloak withhold not thy 
cloak also. Give to every one that asketh thee; and of 
him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 
And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also 
to them likewise. And if ye love them that love you, 
what thank have ye? for even sinners love those that 
love them. And if ye do good to them that do good to 
you, what thank have ye? for even sinners do the same. 
And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what 
thank have ye? even sinners lend to sinners, to receive 
again as much. But love your enemies, and do them 
good, and lend, never despairing; and your reward shall 
be great, and ye shall be sons of the Most High: for he 
is kind toward the unthankful and evil. Be ye merciful, 
even as your Father is merciful. And judge not, and ye 
shall not be judged: and condemn not, and ye shall not 
be condemned: release, and ye shall be released: give, 
and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed 
down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into 
your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall 
be measured to you again. 


THE LOKD’S PRAYER. 

[FROM ST. MATTHEW, CHAP. 6.] 

W HEN thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, 
and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father 
who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in 
secret shall recompense thee. . . . 

After this manner therefore pray ye: 

Our Father who art in heaven, 

Hallowed be thy name. 

Thy kingdom come. 

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread. 


380 the teaching and the PARABLES OF JESUS 


And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who 
trespass against us. 

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from 
evil. 

For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly 
Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men 
their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your 
trespasses. 


THE DEBTOR. 

[FROM ST. MATTHEW, CHAP. 18.] 

P ETER came, and said to Jesus: 

4 ‘ Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, 
and I forgive him? until seven times ?” Jesus saith 
unto him: 

“I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until 
seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven 
likened unto a certain king, who would make a reckoning 
with his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, 
one was brought unto him, that owed him ten thousand 
talents. But forasmuch as he had not wherewith to pay, 
his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and 
children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 
The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, 
saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee 
all.’ 

“And the lord of that servant, being moved with com¬ 
passion, released him, and forgave him the debt. But 
that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-serv¬ 
ants, who owed him a hundred shillings: and he laid 
hold on him, and took him by the throat, saying: 

“ ‘Pay what thou owest.’ 

“So his fellow-servant fell down and besought him, 
saying: 

“ ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay thee.’ 

“And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, 
till he should pay that which was due. So when his 
fellow-servants saw what was done, they were exceeding 


THE GOOD SAMARITAN 


381 


sorry, and came and told unto tlieir lord all that was 
done. Then his lord called him unto him, and saith to 
him: 

“ ‘Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, 
because thou besoughtest me: shouldest not thou also 
have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had 
mercy on thee ? 9 

“And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tor¬ 
mentors, till he should pay all that was due. So shall 
also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not 
every one his brother from your hearts .’ 9 


THE GOOD SAMARITAN. 

[FROM LUKE, CHAP. 10.] 

A CERTAIN 1 lawyer stood up and made trial of 
Jesus, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit 
life?” 

And he said unto him: 

“What is written in the law? how readest thou?” 

And he answering, said: 

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, 
and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with 
all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.” 

And he said unto him, “Thou hast answered right: 
this do, and thou shalt live.” 

But he, desiring to justify himself, said unto Jesus: 

‘ 4 And who is my neighbor ? 9 9 

Jesus made answer and said, “A certain man was 
going down from] Jerusalem to Jericho; and he fell 
among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and 
departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance a cer¬ 
tain priest was going down that way: and when he saw 
him, he passed by on the other side. And in like manner 
a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, 
passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, 
as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw 
him, he was moved with compassion, and came to him, 


382 THE TEACHING AND THE PARABLES OF JESUS 


and bound up his wounds, pouring on them oil and wine; 
and he set him on his own beast, and brought him to an 
inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow he took 
out two shillings, and gave them to the host, and said: 

“ ‘Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest 
more, I, when I come back again, will repay thee.’ 

“Which of these three, thinkest thou, proved neighbor 
unto him that fell among the robbers f” 

And he said, “He that showed mercy on him.” 

And Jesus said unto him, “Go, and do thou likewise.” 


THE GOOD SHEPHERD. 

[FROM JOHN, CHAP. 10.] 

U\J ERILY, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth 
\j not by the door into the fold of the sheep, but 
’ climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief 
and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the 
shepherd of the sheep. To him the porter openeth; and 
the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep 
by name, and leadeth them out. When he hath put forth 
all his own, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow 
him: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they 
not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the 
voice of strangers.” 

This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they under¬ 
stood not what things they were which he spake unto 
them. 

Jesus therefore said unto them again, “Verily, verily, 
I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that 
came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep 
did not hear them. I am the door; by me if any man 
enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go out, 
and shall find pasture. The thief cometh not, but that 
he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they may 
have life, and may have it abundantly. I am the good 
shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his life for the 
sheep. He that is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose 


THE HUSBANDMAN AND THE VINEYARD 


383 


own the sheep are not, belioldeth the wolf coming, and 
leaveth the sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf snatcheth them, 
and scattereth them: he fleeth because he is a hireling, and 
careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and 
I know mine own, and mine own know me, even as the 
Father knoweth me, and I know the Father; and I lay 
down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, 
which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and 
they shall hear my voice; and they shall become one 
flock, one shepherd.” 


THE HUSBANDMAN AND THE VINEYARD. 

[FROM ST. MATTHEW, CHAP. 21.] 

T HERE was a man that was a householder, who 
planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and 
digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let 
it out to husbandmen, and went into another country. 
And when the season of the fruits drew near, he sent his 
servants to the husbandmen, to receive his fruits. And 
the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and 
killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other 
servants more than the first: and they did unto them in 
like manner. But afterward he sent unto them his son, 
saying, “They will reverence my son.” But the hus¬ 
bandmen, when they saw the son, said among themselves, 
“This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and take his in¬ 
heritance.” And they took him, and cast him forth out 
of the vineyard, and killed him. When therefore the lord 
of the vineyard shall come, what will he do unto those 
husbandmen? They say unto him, “He will miserably 
destroy those miserable men, and will let out the vine¬ 
yard unto other husbandmen, who shall render him the 
fruits in their seasons.” Jesus saith unto them, “Did 
ye never read in the scriptures, 

“ ‘The stone which the builders rejected, 

The same was made the head of the corner; 

This was from the Lord, 

Vol. 1—23 


384 THE TEACHING AND THE PARABLES OF JESUS 


And it is marvellous in our eyes?’ 

“Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall 
be taken away from you, and shall be given to a nation 
bringing forth the fruits thereof .’’ 


THE LABORERS IN THE VINEYARD. 

[FROM ST. MATTHEW, CHAP. 20.] 

A MAN that was a householder, went out early in the 
morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And 
when he had agreed with the laborers for a shil¬ 
ling a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he 
went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in 
the marketplace idle; and to them he said, “Go ye also 
into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give 
you.” 

And they went their way. Again he went out about the 
sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. And about 
the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing; 
and he saith unto them, “Why stand ye here all the day 
idle?” 

They say unto him, “Because no man hath hired us.” 
He saith unto them, “Go ye also into the vineyard.” 

And when even was come, the lord of the vineyard 
saith unto his steward, “Call the laborers, and pay them 
their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.” 

And when they came that were hired about the eleventh 
hour, they received every man a shilling. And when the 
first came, they supposed that they would receive more; 
and they likewise received every man a shilling. 

And when they received it, they murmured against the 
householder, saying, “These last have spent but one hour, 
and thou hast made them equal unto us, who have borne 
the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” 

But he answered and said to one of them, “Friend, 
I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a 
shilling? Take up that which is thine, and go thy way; 
it is ray will to give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is 


LAZARUS, THE BEGGAR 


385 


it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? or 
is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall 
be first, and the first last.’’ 

LAZARUS THE BEGGAR. 

[FROM ST. LUKE, CHAP. 16.] 

HERE was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in 



purple and fine linen, faring sumptuously every 


day: and a certain beggar named Lazarus was laid 
at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the 
crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table; yea, even the 
dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, 
that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the 
angels into Abraham’s bosom: and the rich man also died, 
and was buried. And in Hades he lifted up his eyes, 
being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and 
Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said: 

“ Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Laza¬ 
rus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and 
cool my tongue; for I am in anguish.” But Abraham 
said: 

“Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst 
thy good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things: 
but now here he is comforted, and thou art in anguish. 
And besides all this, between us and you there is a great 
gulf fixed, that they would pass from hence to you may 
not be able, and that none may cross over from thence 
to us.” 

And he said, “I pray thee therefore, father, that thou 
wouldest send him to my father’s house; for I have five 
brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also 
come into this place.” 

But Abraham saith, “They have Moses and the proph¬ 
ets ; let them hear them.” 

And he said, “Nay, father Abraham: but if one go to 
them from the dead, they will repent.” 

And he said unto him, “If they hear not Moses and the 


386 THE TEACHING AND THE PARABLES OF JESUS 


prophets, neither will they be persuaded, if one rise from 
the dead.” 

THE MARRIAGE OF THE KING’S SON. 

[FROM ST. MATTHEW, CHAP. 22.] 

CERTAIN king made a marriage feast for his son, 



and sent forth his servants to call them that were 


bidden to the marriage feast: and they would not 
come. Again he sent forth other servants, saying, “Tell 
them that are bidden, ‘ Behold, I have made ready my din¬ 
ner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things 
are ready: come to the marriage feast.’ ” But they 
made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own 
farm, another to his merchandise; and the rest laid hold 
on his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed 
them. But the king was wroth; and he sent his armies, 
and destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 

Then saith he to his servants, ‘ ‘ The wedding is ready, 
but they that were bidden were not worthy. Go ye there¬ 
fore unto the partings of the highways, and as many as 
ye shall find bid to the marriage feast.” 

And those servants went out into the highways, and 
gathered together all as many as they found, both bad 
and good: and the wedding was filled with guests. But 
when the king came in to behold the guests, he saw there 
a man who had not on a wedding-garment: and he saith 
unto him: 

“Friend, how earnest thou in hither not having a wed¬ 
ding-garment V ’ And he was speechless. 

Then the king said to the servants, “Bind him hand 
and foot, and cast him out into the outer darkness: there 
shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. For 
many are called, but few chosen. ’ ’ 



THE PRODIGAL SON 


387 


THE LOST SHEEP. 

[FROM ST. LUKE, CHAP. 15.] 

A ND Jesus spake unto them, saying, “What man of 
you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one 
of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the 
wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find 
it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoul¬ 
ders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth 
together his friends and his neighbors, saying unto them, 
Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was 
lost. I say unto you, that even so there shall be joy 
in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over 
ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repent¬ 
ance. 7 7 


THE LOST PIECE OF SILVER. 

[FROM ST. LUKE, CHAP. 15.] 

J ESUS said, “What woman having ten pieces of silver, 
if she lose one piece, doth not light a lamp, and 
sweep the house, and seek diligently until she find 
it? And when she hath found it, she calleth together her 
friends and neighbors, saying, 1 Rejoice with me, for I 
have found the piece which I had lost.’ Even so, I say 
unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of 
God over one sinner that repenteth . 7 7 


THE PRODIGAL SON. 

[FROM ST. LUKE, CHAP. 15.] 

J ESUS said, “A certain man had two sons: and the 
younger of them said to his father,‘ Father, give me 
the portion of thy substance that falleth to me . 7 
And he divided unto them his living. And not many 
days after, the younger son gathered all together and 


388 THE TEACHING AND THE PARABLES OF JESUS 

took kis journey into a far country; and there he wasted 
his substance with riotous living. And when he had 
spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that country; 
and he began to be in want. And he went and joined 
himself to one of the citizens of that country; and he sent 
him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have 
filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and 
no man gave unto him. But when he came to himself 
he said, ‘How many hired servants of my father’s have 
bread enough and to spare, and I perish here with hunger! 
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him. 
Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight: 
I am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as 
one of thy hired servants. ’ 

“And he arose, and came to his father. But while he 
was yet afar off, his father saw him, and was moved with 
compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed 
him. And the son said unto him, ‘Father, I have sinned 
against heaven, and in thy sight: I am no more worthy 
to be called thy son.’ 

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring forth 
quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring 
on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring the fatted 
calf, and kill it, and let us eat, and make merry: for this 
my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is 
found.’ And they began to be merry. 

“Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came 
and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. 
And he called to him one of the servants, and inquired 
what these things might be. 

‘ ‘ And he said unto him, ‘ Thy brother is come; and thy 
father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received 
him safe and sound.’ But he was angry, and would not 
go in: and his father came out, and entreated him. 

“But he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these 
many years do I serve thee, and I never transgressed a 
commandment of thine; and yet thou never gavest me a 
kid, that I might make merry with my friends: but when 
this thy son came, who hath devoured thy living, thou 
killedst for him the fatted calf.’ 


THE TEN VIRGINS 


38<J 


“And he said unto him, ‘Son, thou art ever with me, 
and all that is mine is thine. But it was meet to make 
merry and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is 
alive again; and was lost, and is found.’ ” 

THE TEN VIRGINS. 

[FROM ST. MATTHEW, CHAP. 25.] 

T EN virgins took their lamps, and went forth to meet 
the bridegroom. And five of them were foolish, 
and five were wise. For the foolish, when they 
took their lamps, took no oil with them: but the wise took 
oil in their vessels with their lamps. Now while the 
bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 

But at midnight there is a cry, “Behold, the bride¬ 
groom! Come ye forth to meet him.” Then all those 
virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 

And the foolish said unto the wise, “Give us of your 
oil; for our lamps are going out.” But the wise an¬ 
swered, saying, “ Peradventure there will not be enough 
for us and you: go ye rather to them that sell, and buy 
for yourselves.” 

And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom 
came; and they that were ready went in with him to the 
marriage feast: and the door was shut. Afterward come 
also the other virgins, saying, “Lord, Lord, open to us.” 

But he answered and said, “Verily I say unto you, I 
know you not.” 

Watch therefore, for ye know not the day nor the hour. 



390 THE TEACHING AND THE PARABLES OP JESUS 


THE TEN TALENTS. 

[FROM ST. MATTHEW, CHAP. 25.] 

A MAN, going into another country, called his own 
servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And 
unto one he gave five talents, to another two, to 
another one; to each according to his several ability; and 
he went on his journey. 

Straightway he that received the five talents went and 
traded with them, and made other five talents. 

In like manner he also that received the two gained 
other two. 

But he that received the one went away and digged in 
the earth, and hid his lord’s money. 

Now after a long time the lord of those servants com- 
eth, and maketh a reckoning with them. And he that 
received the five talents came and brought other five tal¬ 
ents, saying, “Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: 
lo, I have gained other five talents.” 

His lord said unto him, “Well done, good and faithful 
servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will 
set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy 
lord.” 

And he also that received the two talents came and said, 
** Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: lo, I have 
gained other two talents. ’ 9 

His lord said unto him, “Well done, good and faithful 
servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will 
set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy 
lord.” 

And he also that had received the one talent came and 
said, “Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reap¬ 
ing where thou didst not sow, and gathering where thou 
didst not scatter; and I was afraid, and went away and 
hid thy talent in the earth: lo, thou hast thine own.” 

But his lord answered and said unto him, “Thou wicked 
and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I 
sowed not, and gather where I did not scatter; thou 


THE SOWER 


391 


oughtest therefore to have put my money to the hankers, 
and at my coming I should have received back mine own 
with interest. Take ye away therefore the talent from 
him, and give it unto him that hath the ten talents. For 
unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have 
abundance: but from him that hath not, even that which 
he hath shall be taken away. And cast ye out the un¬ 
profitable servant into the outer darkness: there shall 
be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.” 


THE SOWER. 

[from ST. MATTHEW, CHAP. 13.] 

O NE day Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the 
sea side. And there were gathered unto him great 
multitudes, so that he entered into a boat, and sat; 
and all the multitude stood on the beach. And he spake 
to them saying, *‘Behold, the sower went forth to sow; 
and as he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the 
birds came and devoured them: and others fell upon the 
rocky places, where they had not much earth: and 
straightway they sprang up, because they had no deep¬ 
ness of earth: and when the sun was risen, they were 
scorched; and because they had no root, they withered 
away. And others fell upon the thorns; and the thorns 
grew up and choked them: and others fell upon the good 
ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, 
some thirty. He that hath ears, let him hear . 9 9 

And the disciples came, and said unto him, “Why 
speakest thou unto them in parables?” 

And he answered and said unto them, “Unto you it is 
given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, 
but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him 
shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoso¬ 
ever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that 
which he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables; 
because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, 


392 THE TEACHING AND THE PARABLES OF JESUS 

neither do they understand. And unto them is fulfilled 
the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, 

“ ‘By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise under¬ 
stand ; 

And seeing ye shall see, and snail in no wise perceive: 
For this people’s heart is waxed gross, 

And their ears are dull of hearing, 

And their eyes they have closed; 

Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, 

And hear with their ears, 

And understand with their heart, 

And should turn again, 

And I should heal them . 9 

“But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your 
ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, that 
many prophets and righteous men desired to see the 
things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the 
things which ye hear, and heard them not. Hear then 
ye the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the 
word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then 
cometh the evil one, and snatcheth away that which hath 
been sown in his heart. 

“This is he that was sown by the wayside. And he 
that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that hear¬ 
eth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it; yet 
hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; 
and when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of 
the word, straightway he stumbleth. 

“And he that was sown among the thorns, that is he 
that heareth the word; and the care of the world, and the 
deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh 
unfruitful. 

And he that was sown upon the good ground, this is 
he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who 
verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundred¬ 
fold, some sixty, some thirty.” 


All these things spake Jesus in parables unto the mul¬ 
titudes; and without a parable spake he nothing unto 


THE SOWER 


393 


them: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through 
the prophet, saying, 

* ‘ I will open my mouth in parables; 

I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the 
world.’ ’ 


I-5ft 





STORIES FROM THE ACTS 
OF THE APOSTLES 



















THE GIFT OF TONGUES 


397 


THE GIFT OF TONGUES. 

[acts, chap. 2.] 

AND when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they 
were all with one accord in one place. And sud- 
* denly there came a sound from heaven as of a 
rushing, mighty wind, and it filled all the house where 
they were sitting. And there appeared to them cloven 
tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And 
they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to 
speak with other tongues, as the spirit gave them utter¬ 
ance. 

And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout 
men, out of every nation under heaven. Now, when this 
was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were 
confounded, because that every man heard them speak 
in his own language. And they were all amazed and 
marvelled, saying to one another: 

‘ ‘ Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans ? And 
how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we 
were born, Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the 
dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, 
in Pontus and Asia, and strangers of Rome, Jews and 
proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak 
in our tongues the wonderful works of God?” 

And they were all amazed and in doubt, saying one to 
another: “What meaneth this?” 

Others, mocking, said: “These men are full of new 
wine.” 

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his 
voice, and said unto them: “Ye men of Judaea, and all 
ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known to you, and 
hearken unto my words; for these are not drunken as ye 
suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But 
this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘And 
it shall come to pass in the last days, said God, I will 
pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your 
daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see 
visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. * ” 


398 STORIES FROM THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 


THE MIRACLES WROUGHT BY THE APOSTLES. 

[ACTS 3, AND FOLLOWING.] 

N OW Peter and John went up together into the temple 
at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And 
a certain man, lame from his mother’s womb, was 
carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple 
which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered 
into the temple. And he, seeing Peter and John about 
to go into the temple, asked an alms. 

And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, 
said: “Look on us.” And he gave heed to them, expect¬ 
ing to receive something of them. Then Peter said, 
“Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I 
thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up 
and w T alk. ’ ’ 

And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up; 
and immediately his feet and ankle bones received 
strength, and he leaping up stood, and walked, and en¬ 
tered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and 
praising God. 

And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 
and they knew it was he which sat for alms at the Beauti¬ 
ful Gate of the temple, and they were filled with wonder 
and amazement at that which had happened unto him. 
And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and 
John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch 
which is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering. 

And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people: 
“Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look 
ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power and 
holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of 
Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our 
fathers, hath glorified his son Jesus, whom ye delivered 
up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when it was 
determined to let him go.” 

And as they spake unto the people, the priests, and the 
captain of the temple, and the Sadducees, came upon 
them, being grieved that they taught the people, and 


PHILIP AND THE EUNUCH 


399 


preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 
And they laid hands on them, and put them in hold until 
the next day for it was now eventide. And it came to 
pass on the morrow, that their rulers, and elders, and 
scribes, and Annas, the high-priest, and as many as were 
of the kindred of the high-priest were gathered together 
at Jerusalem. 

And when they had set them in the midst, they asked: 
“By what power or by what name have ye done this?” 

Then Peter said unto them: “Be it known unto you all, 
and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus 
Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised 
from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here be¬ 
fore you whole.” 

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, 
and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant 
men, they marveled, and they took knowledge of them, 
that they had been with Jesus. And beholding the man 
which had been healed standing with them, they could 
say nothing against it. But when they had commanded 
them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among 
themselves, saying: “What shall we do to these men?” 

And they called them and commanded them not to 
speak at all or teach in the name of Jesus. So, when they 
had further threatened them, they let them go, finding 
nothing how they might punish them, because of the peo¬ 
ple, for all men glorified God for that which was done. 

PHILIP AND THE EUNUCH. 

[acts, chap. 8.] 

4 ND the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying: 

“Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that 
**goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is 
desert.” 

And he arose and went, and behold a man of Ethiopia, 
an eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the 
Ethiopians, who had charge of all her treasure, and had 
come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning, and sitting 
in his chariot read Esaias, the prophet. 

Vol. 1—24 


400 STORIES FROM THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 


Then the Spirit said unto Philip: 4 ‘Go near and join 
thyself to this chariot.” 

And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the 
Prophet Esaia and said: “Understandest thou what thou 
readest?” 

And he said: “How can I, except some man should 
guide me?” And he desired Philip that he would come 
up and sit with him. 

The place of the scripture which he read was this: “He 
was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb dumb 
before his shearer, so opened He not his mouth.” 

And the eunuch answered Philip and said: “I pray 
thee, of whom speaketh the prophet thus? Of himself, 
or of another man ? ’ * 

Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same 
scripture, and preached to him Jesus. And as they went 
on their way, they came to a certain water, and the 
eunuch said: “See, here is water; what doth hinder me to 
be baptized?” 

And Philip said: “ If thou believest with all thine heart 
thou mayest.” 

And he answered and said: “I believe that Jesus Christ 
is the Son of God.” And he commanded the chariot to 
stand still, and they went down into the water, both Philip 
and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they 
were come up out of the water, the spirit of the Lord 
caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more, 
and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found 
in Azotus, and passing through he preached in all the 
cities, till he came to Caesarea. 

THE CONVERSION OF SAUL. 

[acts, chap. 9.] 

AND Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaugh- 
ter against the disciples of the Lord, went to the 
^ * high-priest and desired of him letters to Damascus 

to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, 
whether they were men or women, he might bring them 
bound unto Jerusalem. 


THE CONVERSION OF SAUL 


401 


And as he journeyed he came near Damascus, and sud¬ 
denly there shined round about him a light from heaven, 
and he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto 
him: 

‘‘Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?” 

And he said: “Who art thou, Lord?” 

And the Lord said: “I am Jesus whom thou persecut¬ 
est. It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” 

And he, trembling and astonished, said: “Lord, what 
wilt thou have me do f ” 

And the Lord said unto him: “Arise and go into the 
city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. ’ 9 

And the men which journeyed with him stood speech¬ 
less, hearing a voice but seeing no man. And Saul arose 
from the earth, and when his eyes were opened he saw 
no man; but they led him by the hand and brought him 
into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, 
and neither did eat nor drink. 

And there was a certain disciple at Damascus named 
Ananias, and to him said the Lord in a vision: “Ana¬ 
nias!” And he said: “Behold, I am here, Lord.” 

And the Lord said unto him: “Arise and go into the 
street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house 
of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold he 
prayeth, and hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias 
coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might 
receive his sight.” 

Then Ananias answered: “Lord, I have heard by many 
of this man, how much evil he hath done to Thy saints 
at Jerusalem, and here he hath an authority from the 
chief priests to bind all that call on Thy name.” 

But the Lord said unto him: “Go thy way, for he is a 
chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gen¬ 
tiles, and kings, and the children of Israel. For I will 
show him how great things he must suffer for my name’s 
sake.” 

And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house, 
and putting his hands on him, said: “Brother Saul, the 
Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as 


402 STORIES FROM THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 


thou earnest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy 
sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.’ 9 

And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been 
scales, and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and 
was baptized. And when he had received meat, he was 
strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the dis¬ 
ciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he 
preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of 
God. But all that heard him were amazed, and said: 

“Is not this he that destroyed them which called on 
this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, 
that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests ? 9 9 

But Saul increased the more in strength, and con¬ 
founded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that 
this is the very Christ. And after that many days were 
fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him. But their 
lying in wait was known of Saul. And they watched the 
gates day and night to kill him. 

Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down 
by the wall in a basket. And when Saul was come to 
Jerusalem, he essayed to join himself to the disciples, 
but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he 
was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him 
to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen 
the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and 
how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of 
Jesus. And he was with them coming in and going out of 
Jerusalem. 


PETER AND THE CENTURION. 

[acts, chap. 10.] 

T HERE was a certain man in Caesarea called Cor¬ 
nelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian 
band, a devout man, and one that feared God with all 
his house, which gave much alms to the people, and 
prayed to God always. He saw in a vision about the 
ninth hour of the day an angel coming in to him, and say¬ 
ing to him: “Cornelius.” 


PETER AND THE CENTURION 


403 


And when lie looked on him he was afraid, and said: 
i *What is it, Lord?” 

And he said nnto him: “Thy prayers and thine alms 
are come up for a memorial before God. And now send 
men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is 
Peter. He lodgeth with one Simon, a tanner, whose home 
is by the seaside; he shall tell thee what thou oughtest 
to do.” 

And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was 
departed, he called two of his servants, a devout soldier 
of them that waited on him continually, and when he had 
declared all these things unto them, he sent them to 
Joppa. 

On the morrow, as they went on their journey and drew 
nigh unto the city, Peter went up on, the housetop to pray, 
about the sixth hour. And he became very hungry, and 
would have eaten; but while they made ready, he fell into 
a trance, and saw heaven opened and a certain vessel de¬ 
scending unto him, as it had been a great sheet knit at 
the four corners, and let down to earth, wherein were all 
manner of four-footed beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, 
and creeping things, and fowls of the air. 

And there came a voice to him: ‘ ‘ Rise, Peter, kill and 
eat.” 

But Peter said: “Not so, Lord, for I have never eaten 
anything that is common or unclean.’ 9 

And the voice spake unto him again the second time: 
“What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.” 
This was done thrice, and the vessel was received up 
again into heaven. 

Now while Peter doubted in himself what this vision 
which he had seen should mean, behold, the men which 
were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon ’s 
house, and stood before the gate and called, and asked 
whether Simon, which was surnamed Peter, were lodging 
there. 

While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said to 
him: “Behold, three men seek thee. Arise, therefore, 
and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing, 
for I have sent them.” 


404 STORIES FROM THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 


Then Peter went down to the men which were sent unto 
him from Cornelius, and said: “Behold, I am he whom ye 
seek; what is the cause wherefore ye are come?” 

And they said: “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, 
and one that feareth God, and of good report among all 
the nation of the Jews, was warned by God by an holy 
angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words 
of thee.” 

Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the 
morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren 
from Joppa accompanied him. And on the morrow after¬ 
ward they entered into Caesarea. And Cornelius waited 
for them, and had called together his kinsmen and near 
friends. And Peter spake unto them, and while he was 
yet speaking, the Holy Ghost fell on all of them which 
heard the word. 


PETER ESCAPES FROM PRISON. 

[acts, chap. 12] 

N OW about that time Herod, the king, stretched forth 
his hands to vex certain of the church. And he 
killed James, the brother of John, with the sword. 
And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded 
further to take Peter also. And when he had appre¬ 
hended him he put him in prison, and delivered him to 
four quaternions of soldiers to keep him, intending after 
Easter to bring him forth to the people. 

Peter therefore was kept in prison, but prayer was 
made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. 

And when Herod would have brought him forth, the 
same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, 
bound with two chains, and the keepers before the door 
kept the prison. And behold, the angel of the Lord came 
upon him, and a light shined in the prison, and he smote 
Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying: “Arise up 
quickly.” And the chains fell off from his hands. 


PETER ESCAPES FROM PRISON 


405 


And the angel said unto him: 4 ‘Gird thyself, and bind 
on thy sandals. ’’ And so he did. And he saith unto him: 
“Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me.” And he 
went out and followed him, and wist not that it was true 
which was done by the angel, but thought he saw a vision. 

When they were past the first and the second ward, 
they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city, 
which opened to them of his own accord, and they went 
out and passed on through one street, and forthwith the 
angel departed from him. 

And when Peter was come unto himself he said: “Now 
I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his angel, and 
hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all 
the expectation of the people of the Jews.” And when 
he had considered the thing, he came to the house of 
Mary, the mother of John, whose surname was Mark, 
where many were gathered together praying. 

And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel 
came to harken, named Rhoda. And when she knew 
Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but 
ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate. And 
they said unto her: ‘ ‘ Thou art mad. ” But she constantly 
affirmed that it was even so. Then said they: “It is his 
angel. ’ 9 

But Peter continued knocking, and when they had 
opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. But 
he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, 
declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out 
of prison. And he said: “Go show these things unto 
James, and to the brethren.” And he departed and went 
into another place. 

Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir 
among the soldiers. What was become of Peter? And 
when Herod had sought for him and found him not, he 
examined the keepers, and commanded that they should 
be put to death. And he went down from Judaea to 
Caesarea, and there abod\ 


406 STORIES FROM THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 


PAUL IN THE SHIPWRECK. 

[acts, chap. 27.] 

4 ND when it was determined that we should sail into 
ZA Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prison- 
* ers unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augus¬ 
tus’ band. And entering into a ship of Adramyttum, we 
launched, meaning to sail by the coasts of Asia, one Aris¬ 
tarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. 
And the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius cour¬ 
teously entreated Paul, and gave him liberty to go unto 
his friends to refresh himself. 

And when we had sailed slowly many days, and scarce 
were come over against Cnidus, the wind not suffering us, 
we sailed under Crete, over against Salmone, and, hardly 
passing it, came unto a place which is called The Fair 
Havens, nigh whereunto was the city of Lasea. 

Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was 
dangerous, because the fast was now already past, Paul 
admonished them, and said unto them: “Sirs, I perceive 
that this voyage will be with hurt and much damage, not 
only to the lading and ship, but also of our lives.” 

Nevertheless the centurion believed the master and the 
owner of the ship more than those things which were 
spoken by Paul. And because the haven was not commo¬ 
dious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence 
also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice, and 
there to winter. And when the south wind blew softly, 
supposing that they had obtained their purpose, loosing 
thence, they sailed close by Crete. 

But not long afterward there arose against it a tem¬ 
pestuous wind, called Euroclydon. And when the ship 
was caught and could not bear up into the wind, we let 
her drive. And running under a certain island which is 
called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat, 
which when they had taken up, they used helps, under¬ 
girding the ship; and fearing lest they should fall into 
the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven. 

And we being exceedingly tossed with the tempest, the 
next day they lightened ship, and the third day we cast 


PAUL IN THE SHIPWRECK 


407 


out with our own hands the tackling of the ship. And 
when neither sun nor stars in many days appeared, and 
no small tempest lay on us, all hope that we should be 
saved was taken away. 

But after long abstinence, Paul stood forth in the midst 
of them and said: “Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto 
me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained 
this harm and loss. And now I exhort you to be of good 
cheer, for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among 
you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night 
the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying: 
‘ Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar, and 
lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee/ 
Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer, for I believe God, that 
it shall be even as it was told me. Howbeit, we must be 
cast upon a certain island.” 

But when the fourteenth night was come, as we were 
driven up and down in Adria, about midnight the ship- 
men deemed that 1 they drew near to some country, and 
sounded, and found it to be twenty fathoms; and when 
they had gone a little farther, they found it fifteen fath¬ 
oms. Then, fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, 
they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for 
day. 

And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, 
when they had let down the boat into the sea, under 
colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the 
foreship, Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers: 
“Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.” 
Then the soldiers cut off the ropes of the boat and let her 
fall off. 

And while the day was coming on, Paul besought them 
all to take meat, saying: ‘ ‘ This day is the fourteenth day 
that ye have tarried and continued fasting, having taken 
nothing. Wherefore I pray you to take some meat, for 
this is for your health, for there shall not an hair fall 
from the head of any of you.” 

And when he had thus spoken he took bread, and gave 
thanks to God in the presence of them all; and when he 
had broken it, he began to eat. Then were they all of 


408 STORIES FROM THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES 

good cheer, and they also took some meat. And we were 
in all in the ship two hundred, three score and sixteen 
souls. 

And when they had eaten enough, they lightened ship, 
and cast out the wheat into the sea. And when it was 
day they knew not the land, but they discovered a certain 
creek with a shore, into the which they were minded, if 
possible, to thrust in the ship. And when they had taken 
up the anchors, they committed themselves unto the sea, 
and loosed the rudder bands, and hoisted up the mainsail 
to the wind, and made toward shore. 

And falling into a place where two seas met, they ran 
the ship aground, and the forepart stuck fast and re¬ 
mained immovable, but the hinder part was broken with 
the violence of the waves. And the soldiers’ counsel was 
to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should swim out 
and escape. But the centurion, willing to save Paul, 
kept them from their purpose, and he commanded that 
they which could swim should cast themselves into the 
sea, and get to land, and the rest, some on boards and 
some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to 
pass that they escaped all safe to land. 


MEMORY AIDS AND THOUGHT STIMULANTS. 


MISS LAURA FISHER, 

Educator and Kindergartner, Boston, Mass. 


When a child’s interest is once aroused it is comparatively easy 
to guide it. It is essential, therefore, for parents to know what 
are the elements in stories which interest children, and then to 
know which are the healthful and character forming interests. 

The first element in a story which interests children is action. 
They like their stories to be full of people who are doing things, 
or rather to have a story about one person doing many things. 

After the action they become interested in the personality of 
the doer, his dress, his surroundings, and last, his motives; and 
the following questions will lead the child not only to the action 
and the persons in which he is interested as well as their char¬ 
acter, but, unconsciously to the sentiments which underlie and 
inspire them. 

These questions, and their answers, will have great value in 
another direction. The habit of aimless reading is often formed 
all too early. The child should be encouraged to have a purpose 
in his reading, and in his earliest reading this may be fostered 
by the use of these questions,—not used as tasks but as pleasure 
exercises. 

Many of the questions are directed to the retelling of the story 
as the answer. There is no surer way of fixing a story in a 
child’s mind than the retelling of it, and the parent who will 
encourage the child to retell the stories he reads, causes him to 
read with closer care and attention, keeps alive his interest, de¬ 
velops his memory, and cultivates his power of expression. 

And all this is perhaps the best kind of beginning of “Self 
Culture for Young People.” 

1. Can you tell what a bazaar is? (pp. 26-27.) 

2. Whom did the children meet in the Queen’s Walk? (p. 31.) 

3. How was she dressed? (p. 31.) 

4. Tell some of the things that the people in Wonderland did 

and said. (pp. 52-55.) 

5. How many Animals in the Zoo did the twins see ? (pp. 36-46.) 


409 


410 MEMORY AIDS AND THOUGHT STIMULANTS 


6. Where had the traveled Cat been? (pp. 38-39.) 

7. Can you tell the story of the three little Kittens ? (pp. 39-40.) 

8. What became of Betty Pringle’s Pig? (p. 44.) 

9. Tell what some of the queer folk did. (pp. 46-56.) 

10. Where did the Crooked Man live? (p. 49.) 

11. Who were the three men in a tub? (p. 55.) 

12. Who do you think were the funniest folk the twins saw? 

(pp. 59-66.) 

13. Which of the storyland stories can you tell? (pp. 62-66.) 

14. Do you know the names of the twenty-six friends the chil¬ 

dren met? (pp. 61-62-63.) 

15. How many cats had Dame Wiggins? (p. 66.) 

16. What was painted on the house where the three Bears lived ? 

(p. 68.) 

17. Who w r ere the friends of Little Bed Riding Hood? (p. 74.) 

18. Tell some of the fairies and giants the children met. (p. 79.) 

19. What wonderful things did the little men do in little man’s 

land? (p. 83.) 

20. How did the man without a shadow travel? (p. 84.) 

21. How did the pilgrims get out of the giant’s castle? (p. 86.) 

22. How did they get out of the giant’s cave? (p. 88.) 

23. How often do men see the sun in Snow and Ice-land? 

(p. 89.) 

24. Can you tell some of the Animals the twins met? (pp. 

91-98.) 

25. Tell the story of the Rats, the Mice, and the Cat. (p. 93.) 

26. What happened at the court of the King of All Beasts? 

(p. 96.) 

27. What became of the two Jays “By and Bye”? (pp. 137-138.) 

28. What happened to the Colt who did not care ? (pp. 140-142.) 

29. What happened when the Hare kicked the stone? (p. 142.) 

30. What became of the Hens who quarreled? (p. 143.) 

31. What did the Pig see when he went on his travels? (pp. 

145-147.) 

32. What became of the Rat who could not make up his mind ? 

(p. 147.) 

33. What happened to the Cat who was as good as every one 

else? (pp. 152-155.) 

34. Tell the story of the selfish Dog. (p. 155.) 

35. What became of Greedy Jick? (pp. 157-158.) 

36. What became of the Fish who would have their own way? 

(p. 161.) 

37. Did the young Bees find out how to build a better sell than 

the old folks? (p. 163.) 


MEMORY AIDS AND THOUGHT STIMULANTS 411 


38. What were Juliet’s three tasks and who helped her out? 

(pp. 164-165.) 

39. What did Juliet receive when all her tasks were done? 

(pp. 167-168.) 

40. Tell of some of the things that William found in his walk. 

(pp. 169-176.) 

41. What do you know about Mistletoe? (p. 170.) 

42. Describe the Lap-wing’s trick, (p. 171.) 

43. Where do Sand-Martins live? (p. 173.) 

44. What is the Kingfisher’s other name? (p. 173.) 

45. Where does the Heron build his nest? (p. 174.) 

46. What were the names of the three Giants who worked for 

Jobson? (p. 179.) 

47. What work did Aquafluens do? (pp. 180-181.) 

48. Who was the brother of Aquafluens? (p. 186.) 

49. What work did Ventosus do for Jobson? (p. 187.) 

50. Which was the strongest of the three Giants and how did 

he do his work? (pp. 190-193.) 

51. How did Yaporifer do his work? (pp. 191-193.) 

52. Tell of some of the wonderful things Captain Compass saw 

on his travels, (pp. 194-198.) 

53. How did the farmer’s old clock stop? (p. 199.) 

54. How many times did the clock tick in 24 hours? (p. 200.) 

55. How was the pendulum persuaded to go to work ? (p. 200.) 

Note on the Kindergarten Songs: Many of these are suitable 

for repetition and the children should be encouraged to learn 
and to sing the simple little tunes, (pp. 221-254.) 

56. Of what did Noah build his Ark? (p. 295.) 

57. In what year was the King James version of the Bible com¬ 

pleted? (p.285.) 

58. What did God create on the third day? (p. 286.) 

59. Tell the story of Adam and Eve. (pp. 288-291.) 

60. How was Cain punished? (pp. 291-292.) 

61. Why did not Abraham kill his son? (p. 294.) 

62. Which was the first bird to go out of the Ark? (p. 295.) 

63. What did the Dove do? (p. 295.) 

64. What did God say about the rainbow? (p. 296.) 

65. Can you tell the dreams of Joseph? (p. 297.) 

66. Tell the story of Joseph’s Coat. (pp. 298-300.) 

67. What happened to Joseph when he first reached Egypt? 

(p. 299.) 

68. What was the dream of the King’s Chief Butler? (p. 301.) 

69. What did the King’s Chief Baker dream in prison? (p.301.) 

70. What was King Pharaoh’s dream? (p. 303.) 


412 MEMORY AIDS AND THOUGHT STIMULANTS 

71. What did King Pharaoh’s dream mean? (p. 303.) 

72. Did it come true? (p. 304.) 

73. Why was Joseph given such great power in Egypt? (pp. 

305-316.) 

74. Tell the story of Benjamin’s going into Egypt, (p. 305.) 

75. What happened to Jacob when he went to Egypt? (p. 309.) 

76. How old was Jacob when he died? (p. 306.) 

77. Tell the story of the Baby Moses, (p. 317.) 

78. What happened to the walls of Jericho when the people 

shouted? (p. 319.) 

79. How did Gideon choose his soldiers? (pp. 320-324.) 

80. What happened to Gideon’s fleece of wool? (p. 322.) 

81. Tell the Dream of Gideon, (p. 324.) 

82. What did it mean? (p. 324.) 

83. What did Ruth say to Naomi when she wished to stay with 

her? (p. 326.) 

84. What happened to Ruth when she went gleaning? (pp. 

362-368.) 

85. Whom did Ruth marry? (p. 330.) 

86. Tell what you know of the boy Samuel, (pp. 335-338.) 

87. How did David kill the Giant? (pp. 335-338.) 

88. Why did the Queen of Sheba go to see King Solomon? 

(p. 339.) 

89. Tell the story of Elijah and the Widow’s Son. (p. 340.) 

90. What did Gehazi do and how was he punished? (pp. 

341-344.) 

91. What do you know about Queen Esther, Haman and Mor- 

decai? (pp. 344-355.) 

92. What happened to Daniel in the Lion’s Den? (pp. 358-360.) 

93. Where was Jesus born? (p. 361.) 

94. Tell the story of the Wise Men and the flight into Egypt. 

(pp. 362-365.) 

95. How were the five thousand people fed ? (p.362.) 

96. How did they bring the man who was sick of the palsy to 

Jesus? (p. 372.) 

97. Tell about Jesus and the little children, (p. 375.) 

98. Tell the story of the Debtor and of the poor Samaritan. 

(pp. 378-380.) 

99. Tell the story of the Prodigal Son, and of the Ten Virgins. 

(pp. 385-387.) 

100. Can you explain the parable of the Sower? (pp. 389-391.) 

Note.— There are some excellent i( memory gems” in these 
New Testament Stories—Teachings and Parables , that may well 
be used as such. 



























































































































































































































































































































































































































































































LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 


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